Several days ago the view was expressed that the trouble in Korea was virtually at an end. The efforts of the Japanese authorities, although unfortunately belated,' had, it was hoped, succeeded in putting a. period to the attacks by Koreans on the Chinese populace, but it must be noted that recent telegrams still tell of outbreaks of a like nature. In the circumstances there is little wonder that the Opposition is continuing to press its attacks on the Japanese Government for their unpreparedness in dealing with the situa. tion Which arose at Pingyang and which caused an outbreak which, in view of the fact that it had its repercussions in Manchuria, might have led to an international crisis of the greatest magnitude. From the time the situation was bell well in incident in Fusan and apparently one: also at Seoul, although a contradiction of the latter has now been received,. while' reprisals have taken place, according to recent reports, across the border in Antung. That there should have been further incidents, even after the \action to avert them, is not surprising, as in practically' every case of a similar nature the authorities have not been able to cope with cases arising in places where in the past it has been possible to maintain the peace without the elaborate precautions required elsewhere. That is a phase where mass' psychology invariably gets the better of the normal instincts of a people and where when a mi] crowd: assembles it acts on the initiative of the least intelligent! or most hysterical section of its member In the case of the disturbance at Fusan, however, can it even' be suggested that it was the ordinary mob psychology which led to the situation which developed there? In the south! of Korea, Pusan is far remote from the northern border which was-the scene of the initial trouble, which it is practically definitely established arose out of an industrial-agricultural Aispute, and which should ne have been allowed to go to th lengths it did. At such a di tance from the scene of trouble would ordinarily not be surprising if racial animosities flare ed up many days after the first sign of activity, elsewhere, but this case, unfortunately, there is a more sinister aspect to the incident, This lies in the reported Communist origin of the disorders. It is obvious that, with their expert' kno of the practice of fishing troubled waters, Communists would find in the recent situation full scope for their ingenuity, and it is surprising that precautions had not been taken to circumvent their operations. The Japanese. Government is better informed than any other body as to the activities of the Communist body in Korea during recent years, and would have been expected that the precautions taken would have been of a nature to prevent! this element taking advantage of any outburst such as this. The hope may be expressed that this has been merely an isolated incident, but, in common with. other Governments in the Far East, it is to. the interest of Japan to see that Communism should receive no incentive elsewhere even from.a momentary upheaval, or even disturbance, at any. point. True, it is in these days a habit to attribute to Communists trouble in which their responsibility hasbeen entirely lacking, but _never-act element is required for the sake of the peace of Asia.
The chief critic of the Japanese Government in the measures it has taken or feiled to take in Korea has not unnaturally been the Opposition, and if echoes of their views have been heard elsewhere it is not only natural. For one thing, however, the Government is to be congratulated on its whole-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.