The Northern Advocate Daily “Northland First.” TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1937. JAPAN IN CHINA

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1937, Page 4

The Northern Advocate Daily “Northland First.”

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1937. JAPAN IN CHINA

Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper,

From a military point of view. Japan is waging a victorious war in China. The Chinese have offered surprising resistance, in comparison with weakness revealed in other wars of aggression waged in their country, but the Japanese pressure has been inexorable. There is no need to rcapitulate the successes which have crowned Japanese arms during a campaign marked by “frightfulness” in the real sense of the word. At the moment, Japan is in possession of a large portion of North China, and. it seems as though nothing can prevent her from controlling the important territory through which

| the great Yangise flows. Shane;-1 ’hai, at the month of the river, isi in Japanese hands, Nanking,; further up the waterway, is no | longer the capital of China, the; : Government having taken its de- ; parture for another city, which I is now being made the target of ; the invaders. In these circnm- ; stances, Japan lias intimated that iif Marshal Chiang Kai-shek and ! the Chinese Government will cry | “enough,” Japan will cease fire I and discuss the position a j round-table conference. If China ! will not do this, Japan will fight to a finish—-of the Chinese. No far. there is no indication that the Chinese will submit; on the contrary, statements by loaders are definitely to the effect that China will continue to resist. This is all very interesting. On the I surface, the Chinese determinai tion to fight on is foolish. But it i may be that Japan’s willingness to arrange an armistice docs not spring from entirely altruistic motives. Though the Japanese Diet is reported today to have voted a huge credit for the prosecution of the war, there,is little I doubt that Japan would welcome a cessation of fighting, for the simple reason that a protracted war would have disastrous effect upon her economic situation. It is true that Japan has experienced increasing prosperity during the past six years, but that has been due very largely to the armaments policy of the Government and to bigger export business. Industrial production has grown very substantially during the past two years, while there has been an upward trend ever since armaments activity began. It was reported recently that the rate of industrial productivity during the first six months of the presen* year was about 30 per cent, higher than in 1934, and about 75 per cent, higher than in 1931, which marked the depth of the depression. The industries in which the greatest growth has taken place have been those concerned with armaments —iron, steel. shipbuilding and chemicals. This activity has naturally caused expansion in the output of commodities. which has resulted in larg- , or profits to manufacturers. Whatever increases in the workers* earnings may have been obtained have been offset by higher cost of living, statistics showing a decline in the purchasing power of money. As a consequence, there has been an increase in industrial disputes, followed by strikes. Despite the fact that prices of primary products have increased, as compared with 1934, when a desperately low level was reached, a severe depression continues in respect of agriculture, for though prices of products have improved, farmers have* to meet higher costs on their farms. In this way, the countryman and the townsman have much in common. According to reports, a deep depression continues outside the industries connected with armaments and the export trade, and as those industries provide work for only 20 per cent, of the population, it is clear that armaments and war expenditure do not provide a solid foundation for prosperity. The internal situation of Japan remains unsatisfactory, and it is expected that the present year will result in a surplus of, imports over exports. In view of 1 these circumstances, it mayj j readily be believed that Japan j I would welcome a cessation of the j j war lest she he financially ex-! j hausted. Whether Japan will, as j j she has hinted, relinquish Chinese i [territory that has already fallen j into her hands, is another mat-i ter. But it may well lie that! China’s determination to fight on, is based on the fact that an in- j vader’s victory usually depends j upon developments on his home! front. I