Yesterday this journal endea-youred, airily, to depict the attitude of zealots who would find in Sir Frederick Maze's account of the seizure of the Manchurian customs material for their intoxicated fervour of. apology for Japanese actions "The Village that Voted the Earth Was Flat," Kipling showed how impossible it, was for art te "Shanghai Times" is lessed. The wildest dreams of Inaive fatuity could not have: attained to the sublime ecstasy. lof sentiments which would be fittingly set in the Newgate Tavern of Gay's Opera. The amiable journal, having decided hike Mr. Boffin to "go in as a regular brown bear all round," has long distinguished itself for extravagant tenderness towards Japanchukuo. It fall previous remarking that "a good deal of pother" has been made of the seizures outlined by Sir Frederick, it calls sanity, the Irish Free State, and the system of employing " foreigners in the [Customs service to witness in enforcing the view that the maintenance of the integrity of the Customs is a trifling matter:
"If the Chinese Customs churia had been wholly managed and staffed by Chinese when 'Manchuria commenced. to break way from the loosely-knit Chang Hsueh-liang Nanking alliance, the id with the Lave heard the ate note protest in such Form. In' any case the Customs: pronounced 'Mficlals. must realise that they will have to bow to the storm. And rightly' so, Customs officials, as experts in tides and storms, will appreciate ithe compliment, even if they do Met follow the logic. It seems a ty to draw attention to the fact. that it is a question, not of breakaway in Manchuria, but lof -an invasion by Japanese forces of Chinese territory marked by a surprise dispersal jof Chinese troops in barracks at IMukden and Changchun, on the flimsiest of pretexts. Then there is this amazingly delicious piece lof special pleading:
TAfter all the all unification of China under any particular regime not the fanetion of the Chinese Maritime Customs. If Manchuria rejects the authority of Peking for Nanking and establishes her own Government, are the Customs officials to say her nay?"
The Amalgamated Society Burglars and Pickpockets would be glad to emblazon that ment on its articles of Associi tion. Manchuria is occupied by Japanese military forces, a state fof martial law is enforced, a Government, composed of Chinese jand Japanese in the proportion lof 1 to 3, ig set up under the shadow of Japanese bayonets. land the "Shanghai Times" secs lat work the highest expression lof the principle of self-determination, Is it surprising that comes to the wonderful conclusion that there has, been much ado about nothing"? The Lytton Commission, after its Jarduous travels, will be so pleas-fed to hear that verdict on its Jappointment and consequent investigations. Finally, after, repeating the comfortable thought that "Manchuria has broken, at least. temporarily" there is some caution in the journal's lyrical fanaticism. with the rest of China," it ldeseribes the passing of the Customs to the Manchukuo administration as_natural., So much for Sir Frederick Maze's stupid insistence on international obligations, rules of commercial practice and the advantages of jeommon honesty. But the gem, most appropriately, is reserved {for the last sentence of a wonderful effusion:
"4... the fact that they (the Customs) were in some cases forcibly seized only shows that the Customs officials did not realise in time that. they, must give way to the inevitable."
Passing over the mental honesty of the qualification "in some cases" as due to unfortunate infection by association with the cause which the journal espouses, it is difficult to imagine a finer rebuke of the folly of withstanding the armed robber. The "Shanghai Times" should really make a present of this sentynent—set to music pre ferably—to the Police Depart~ ment of the Shanghai Municipal Council. Then everyone will be able to join it in "The Village that Voted the Earth Was Flat." But whether such fustian can regarded as contributing to the effective instruction of the public is another matter. The plain person would call it an insult to the intelligence and leave it there. But let a story ibe told. A British Minister was once—in the bad old days—confronted by his henchman with a recommendation for an appointment, the suitability of which he could not perceive. The henchman produced argument after argument to show how well qualified the suggested nominee iwas for the vacant post. The rear man was still bewildered, if anxious to be sympathetic, At length, quite casually and almost inadvertently, the suppliant mon-joned that the candidate his own brother-in-law, "Oh! quickly replied the other, in tome of great relief as the mystery vanished, "a job! Why did you not tell me that before, my dear fellow? Of course I The Iwould save if it pondered on the implication lof that cautionary tale,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.