The Editor's Saturday Night

Northern Advocate, 24 June 1939, Page 8

The Editor's Saturday Night

The wax’ clouds which were making their appearance in moi’e menacing form over the Chinese coast when last week closed, have become intensified during this week. The serious problems presenting themselves in Europe h'ave been to a certain extent forgotten in the face of menacing threats to Western Powers, and particularly Britain, who have large interests in China.

• Japan's blockade of Tientsin has I continued to grow in intensity. Japan thas made marked effort to avoid ac- | tion against American interests, which 1 would involve retaliation by the | United States Government, its attacks {being mainly concentrated upon BritI ish subjects. Britishei’s have been ? subjected to insult and personal viotlence at Tientsin, and there have also f occurred incidents which have inI volved Americans, though to a much |lesser degree. I The dramatic ev'ent of the week, i however, was a sudden and over- | whelming onslaught on the treaty f port of Swatow, which lies to the

north of Hongkong. Apparently the Japanese were not obstructed by the Chinese forces, who, it is repoi'ted, retreated inland some time before the Japanese approach. It is suggested, and probably with good reason, that the Chinese troops betrayed their trust. However, in their retreat, theyset fire to buildings and countryside, and to that extent, have decreased the value of Japan’s occupation of Swatow.

This, however, was not the outstanding feature of the occupation. That took the form of what was interpreted as a Japanese ultimatum to Britain and America to remove their ships. from Swatow Harbour at a specified hour. When this startling news, which by the way was printed in the “Advocate’s” late edition on Thursday, became known, there was a general feeling that the last straw had been placed upon the patience and honour of Britain and America. What would they do? The reply came next day, when it was announced that Britain, and also America, had not only refused to remove their ships, but had augmented their forces. Japan’s reply to this calling of her bluff was eagerly awaited. So far nothing Was happened. Japan has explained that her order to British and American ships to leave Swatow was not in the nature of an ultimatum, but merely a friendly hint, the pur- • pose of which was to save foreign shipping from darWage which might t occur during hostilities between the ■ Japanese and Chinese. This explanation may be regarded as rather, thin. However, all that can be done is to await developments. A French newspaper has expressed the opinion that the hands of Germany and Italy are to be seen in the latest developments in the Far East. There is little room for doubt on that score. Meantime, the British Government is doing what it can to avoid war, which Admiral of the Fleet Sir Roger Keyes declares is almost inevitable. There the matter stands at the moment.