The Waikato Times. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1933. PEACE PROSPECTS AND THE FAR EAST.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18875, 20 February 1933, Page 6

The Waikato Times. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1933. PEACE PROSPECTS AND THE FAR EAST.

The relations between Japan and China are becoming increasingly strained, and there is no evidence that the League of Nations can exercise any influence. Japan has resolved to go her ovn way, and nothing but force will stop her. She has served on Chinese commanders to evacuate districts north of the Great Y all, and is making no pretence that Manchukuo is anything but Japanese.

Meanwhile China is affording her a certain amount of justification for actions that in themselves are lawless. She is unable to prevent her people perpetrating outrages on the Japanese and is unable to provide an armed force when Japan resents these outrages in an unreasonable manner. The question arises whether Euiope is called on to make exertions and sacrifices in order to compose the differences between two nations of which neither is blameless, though there may be a difference in the degrees of culpability.

Anything like armed intervention may be ruled out. Even if the causes of war were clear and the pation was united, the operation would be well nigh impossible. Everything turns on the attitude which the United States would take. She has always had a close interest in China, both philanthropic and commercial, and those in the Western States have a strong prejudice against Japan, because so many Japanese had settled there and their more strenuous competition was distressing. At present the American Fleet is all concentrated in the Pacific, as the Atlantic contingent has been added to the Pacific, but there is little significance to be attached to this. The American Government so far have confined themselves to declaring that they will not recognise Manchukuo, but this attempt to substitute words for deeds is futile. They will not even boycott Japanese trade. President Hoover lias asked for legislation to prohibit the export of arms where other countries would do the same, but the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate refused to agi*ee, except in the case of American countries. The United Slates can contemplate the possibility of fighting on the American Continent, but not on any other continent.

The whole position is complicated by the economic depression which afflicts the whole world, and of which the United States is a chief sufferer. It is said in the United States that the manaated areas in the Pacific held by Japanese cut right across the lines of communication of the United States, and they hope that this will draw Britain and America closer. It is hard to see why it should. The United States havo never considered the interests of any country but their own, and can hardly look for co-operation from other countries. The sinister feature of Japan’s action is that it is likely to lead in the future to war between the East and either Europe or America. It is difficult to imagine the two co-operating after the experiences of the late war. It is even worse that the events of the quarrel over Manchuria have killed for a time at least any hope of disarmament, and have endangered the peace of the world.

There has been a certain amount of artificiality in international relations, and friendliness of speech conflicted with a determination to maintain armaments at an ever-rising standard. The friendliness has been broken between Italy and France by an article in Mussolini’s official journal, charging France with the desire to dominate the continent. It is probable that negotiations between Britain and the United States will also lead to some plain talking. If they do not the negotiators will have failed in their duty. The continued pretence of amity has not been understood, and the United States has refused to make any sacrifices in the interest of world prosperity after Europe had set the example by wiping out German reparations at Lausanne.

Since the war reactionary politicians have had something like a monopoly of power. They have brought the world to grief economically and now the peace of the Vorld is threatened. If Europe and the United States had been in co-operation Japan would scarcely have acted as she has done. The League of Nations has been crippled because Russia and the United States would take no part, and the clauses in the constitution of the League which provide for changes that may be required have never been put in operation. There is no desire among the people for war, but on the contrary a great aversion, and if it should come it will be a lasting testimony to the incompetence of those in high positions.