RUSSIAN MENACE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18025, 28 February 1933, Page 5

RUSSIAN MENACE

FEARED BY JAPAN SOVIET CREATING TROUBLE HISTORY NOT FORGOTTEN VANCOUVER, Feb. 1. Fear of Russia in Japan, the spectre of that great country moving southward like a glacier, is u concrete basic fact which must always be considered in an appraisal of the situation in the Far East. *

Speaking in his slow, careful manner, giving meticulous diction to his perfect English, Dr. lanzo Nitobe, Japanese scholar and statesman, who •is,a members of the House of. Peers, told', members of the Canadian Club gathered at a luncheon in Hotel Vancouver something of the feeling of Japanese in the present crisis. The distinguished visitor received an excellent hearing from an audience that filled the Oval room of the otel.

Summing up Japan’s reasons for interest in Manchuria, Dr. Nitobe listed three salient reasons:

First—Fear of Russian penetration. Second— The chaotic state of China, Third—Access to resources of Man churia.

“It .has boon ■ skid,” he continued; “that Japan’s, interest. in Manchuria is vital, Great Britain’s interest in China is . substantial, America’s interest in China is sentimental. “Wo cannot wait for the technocrats,” he declared. “We must develop industrially to support our growing population. It is. vital that we have access to the resources of Manchuria.” ALWAYS MAKING TROUBLE

In opening his remarks, Dr. Nitobe explained carefully that lie would differentiate between what he might say as a personal view and those general views, he,ld by- the average Japanese and which might be read in any newspaper, in his country. - While the Lytton report, he said, was essentially on the subject of relations between Japan and China, the fear of Russia can never be eliminated from the picture. No statement of the case should leave out this feature.

• “We experienced that threatening power once before,” he said. “Thirty years ago we staked our national existence and fought for it. Then Russia controlled most of Manchuria. To-day Russia has control of a large territory in outer Mongolia. This is a continuation of the Manchurian phase. ” He added, that the. revolution in Tibet might ‘be laid to Russia’s door, tn southern China, ngitation led to constant trouble. The whole of the Far East is endangered by Bolshevism, the speaker contended. “Thor« is the menace of Communism which will imperil the very existence of.our country and possibly this continent,” lie said. Could Japan honestly believe China : s ..!de to erect a substantial barrier against Communism, Japanese action in Manchuria, would be unnecessary, Dr. Nitobe contended.

“If China is trying to suppress Communism, or if it can erect n barrier against it, why should we spend millions —our country is not rich—to protect the Manchurian frontier? Manchuria is colored with red, it is only a question of a few months or years for the same color to penetrate Korea and and from Korea-to Japan.” CHINA SHATTERED STATE The disorganised state of China is aptly illustrated by the Chinese diplomats who are sent abroad. One ■of these was asked at Geneva by a group of representatives to the League of Nations what part of China he represented. “The part that you send your Minister to,” was the answer. •Another replied that he represented the part of China where the constitution , rules, but was unable to define the constitution, the speaker declared.

Japan has been charged, ho stated, with exceeding tho usual precaution of self-defence in its Manchurian difficulties, but Japan has grounds for her action in Manchuria.

The speaker declared that Japan is a great believer in the League of Nations. ‘* I hope she will not lightly leave the" League,” he said, “and I don’t think she will. “Japan has a good deal of ground for what idie has done,” continued Dr. Nitobe. “You sympathise with China because you say she is the underdog. Is not Japan more the underdog than China? I ask you: What would you have done, in a similar situation, with a Government which cannot be dealt with through ordinary diplomatic channels, with treaties abrogated? “Then, as always, there is Russia. The five-year plan has not succeeded very well, but what can we expect in another five years? Those are the questions I would leave with you.”