out Mr. K, Kuwajima, the director of the Far Eastern Affairs Bureau of the Japanese Foreign Office, is in Nanking to convey to Mr. Shigeru, Kawagoe, the Japanese ambassador, what Japanese describe as, Tokyo's "last word" on the negotiations to be opened between China and Japan for settlement of the numerous issues outstanding between the two countries, The term "ast word" Is, perhaps, a little unfortunate, if itis genuinely intended to open negotiations. The "frst werd" would have been better. For to begin a discussion with the object of settling differences ina friendly manner by stating forthwith that japan intends to have this or that. nations in the past have been so, unfortunate for her? And, when Japanese statesmen are offering to shake hands and let bygones "be bygones, there appear men behind. them with their gans trained on the victim of friendliness, can it be wondered at that there is a certain amount of hesitation accepting their bona fides?
'The incidents which "have! obscured the real issues between the two countries should be reduced to their real proportions..'They fre ineidents—horrible and brutal murders, regretted by every civilized' being—but hardly sufldent in themselves to intervene between two nations honestly seeking to restore lost friendship and ce-operation. Their implication the threat tothe life and property of all Japanese subjects in China—is not minimized; but the fact remains that they are, comparatively speaking, unimportant beside the Jarger issues. They are symptoms and not the disease; and it Is the disease which calls most urgently for cure. Japanese statesmen and brlefty the history of this country during the last twenty-five years, leaving problems which are at the moment under negotiation in Nanking as much out of the picture as possible. The results may seem to} some to be a distortion of the his-{orleal record, especially during the last few years; but too great emphasis upon them at this! Suncture, when the most important negotiations are being conducted, might result in a distortion of the: future which would be even more serious. Least said soonest mended is a good maxim so long as there isa genuine attempt to mend. It} to be deplored that there is a critical international situation to overshadow the celebrations to-day. The remarkable progress made by China during the last few years would not call for particular em-_ phasis were it not for the anniversary being observed. But when the passage of a quarter of 'a. century under new Ideals and new forms of government is being remembered, then there is reason to assume" the mantle of the many outstanding issues have been! cleared away—at least, so far as the heads of the two governments fre concerned. The facts do not warrant the belief that the dangers arising out of the tension between China and Japan are over, but they do encourage the hope that an approximation of hitherto completely divergent points of view has been begun and that the rope which has} attached like a millstone round the heck of the Chinese people in their efforts to tide over a turbulent in-, terlude between decadent monarchy. and progressive constitutionalism is about to be severed. No brighter prospect could greet the dawn of the silver jubilee. Tt has been the claim of writers on ancient China that there is hardly a form of government being tested to-day that the Chinese did not test ages ago. Communism was tried before the Christian era. The absolute monarchy was given its chance, and monarchy modified by a kind of constitutionalism also had its trial. The political philosophies which have been tested, adopted, and then discarded in this country since the interview failed to take the melo-Gramatic turn expected by lively commentators in the Japanese press, will not be surprising to the For! eign Omee at Tokyo or to any Tesponsible student of diplomatic affairs, Tt is natural therefore that prompt discouragement has been given both in Tokyo and Nanking fo the ingenious notion that demands have been made by one side and counter demands by the other.
Curious notions regarding the terms in which one nation can diplomatically address another are prevalent in the world to-day and o much to obscure the road Peaceful solution of international problems. "However naively they may be endorsed by impatience, whether on this or on that side of the Japan Sea they are unlikely tobe accepted by responsible statesmen who are rightly concerned with the creation of a sane basis for Sino-Japanese relationships. Jepan's national interests would be badly served by a diversion which, exacerbating rather than composing Chinese feelings, might exact too and there {s the end of it, is to deprive the discussions which will be held in Nanking of all the elements of negotiation. The word negotiation is defined in the Oxford dictionary as, among other things, "the action of getting over or round some obstacle by skilful mancouvring." The presentation of "last words" at the beginning of conversations often has the unhappy result of-preventing the conversation continuing, or at any rate, making it something too one-sided to be of value, General Chiang Kai-shek Is bback in the capital and his presence should make matters much easier all concerned. The Japanese tion that he should personal-sume charge of the negotiations idly likely to, be pressed, since there is a recognized and accredited minister who is fully qualified to talee over the task and can give it more: attention than General Chiang, who has a number of other things to occupy him. General Chiang has varied and multifarious luries, not the least of which is to guide the internal rehabilitation of the country, Much effort has: been expended in this direction, but it is liable to be wasted if it is allowed to slack off for a moment. Foreign relations are also of vital importance, and General Chiang is thus placed in the position of a juggler who must keep two balls in the air at the same time, of stand by and see disaster overtake his country. Disaster in this land could only mean one thing—disaster to its neighbours. And Japanese statesmen are aware enough of this fact to discourage the efforts of their military and naval extremists to insist upon General Chang. Chun's being supplanted by his superior.
There seem to the outside observer to be fundamental differences between the points of view of the two nations who are about to Begin negotiations to restore their friendship. On the Japanese side there is a recognition of the importance of China in Japan's industrial expansion, both as a market and as a source of raw materials, China has the people who can buy Japan's products; it has the land on which the materials from which those products ave made can be grown. It has minerals which are at present be~ ing exploited properly only by foreigners. The other mineral ventures bear only too plainly the stamp of inefficiency put on them by Toco) official blundering oF greed. There ure many strategic Advantages which friendship with China can give Japan, and many dangers which ill-will between the two countries can threaten, The Chinese cannot forget the seizure of Manchuria and the formation of the state of Manchoykuo.. Encroachments. in North China, attempts to create an autonomous: state there first by force and then by economic pressure, are still too. recent to be overlooked. Japan has special interests in North Chin: any state similarly geographically situated would also have special interests. But can China -forget that it was Japan's claim to special interests in Manchuria that led to! the alienation of those prosperous the Japanese press have during the last few days been looking deeper than the surface demonstrations for remedies of the situation. They emphasize that the cure is the eradication of anti-Japonism among the Chinese people, They believe that anti-Japanese education and propaganda sponsored by the Chinese Government is responsible. The genuineness of the belief is} unquestioned; but, it may be asked, is it properly grounded on fact? The educational books supported and distributed by the Kuomintang, against which there are plenty of objections not only from a Japanese point of view but also for those of other foreign nations, were not Kenerally used in China until after the conquest of the country in 1926 by the Nationalist armies. Has there been time for them to have the widespread effect their' Japanese ' critics represent? appears to some observers that the bogey of anti-Japanese education is being used as a polite screen to hide the real inspiration. Can the people of any country, let alone a Droud people with a great history like the Chinese, see. "themselves humiliated and' their sovereignty violated, without " feeling intense resentment against the aggressors? Can their rulers bow down before the aggressors without bringing upon their heads the indignation of all true Chinese patriots? These are questions which should not be: lost sight of by the diplomats who fare now in Nanking to discuss ways, and means for a resumption of Sino~Jopanese friendship, To force the Nanking Government to surrender might lead to its, going out of existence. The acceptance of, harsh terms by a few officials in the capital might, as General Chang Heueh-liang pointed out a day oF 50 ago, be repudiated by the body of the nation. What is the prospect? For progress to be made there should be a frank acknow-Jedgement of faults on both sides and an equally frank resolution to repair the errors of the past, if necessary by restitution of rights Which have been filched, Good faith and goodwill are necessary on both sides, if the coming -negotiations are to be of any use and, in the light of the critical eireumstances, there can be little doubt that the necessity is appreciated.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.