Dismayed at the evidence that the world outside definitely regards Japan as the aggressor {the present assault' on China's. integrity, [Japanese apologists have pretended that the world has not had the opportunity of receiving 2 "ce-ordinated reasoned account of their case Shanghai." Such fustian does not decelva yyone who does not want to be deceived Koki Hirota's latest attempt to convict [China of provoking Japanese aggression a no more impressive than previous efforts to expound a case which Is inherently. bad. si legation that China precipitated: the struale here has already been dealt with at length these columns, "The suggestion that the reinforcements rushed here when the signs of Japanese naval and military activity were all ce plain for any but the wilfully blind to misunderstand, "constituted a breach of the 1032 truce may or may not be accurate, but in fetsence it gives an unreal' reading "of the situation. Supporters of that theory are now heard asserting that. Shanghai was surrounded by. Chinese troops well before the arrival of the Japanese eet. Once again the ex port facto fabrication which discovered the 10th Route Army's intention to attack the Settle. ment. in 1082, despite the most authoritative foreign oficial statements, te being refurbished adorn the tale of a. downtrodden Japan. 'Actually. foreigners who prefer' to believe what they see and who are necustomed to Travel in' the outskirts of Shanghai know perfectly well that the situation was far other wise. Moreover unassailable reports reveal that on the night of the murder of the Japanese officers In Monument Ra. the Peace Presorvntion Corps was alone responsible for the garrisoning of Shanghai und ite strength was between 2000 and 3,000 effectives. After that affair prompt reinforcements were gent and they have now developed into the formidable cree with which the Japanese are contending Me. Wirota has unkindly' smashed some of his supporters' arguments by agreeing with this journal that the strong" naval reinforcements were not sent because of the Monument Rd. fffsir "but "were on their way before that Ihappened. Chinese are disposed to care litle for this academic examination of recent facts for they not unnaturally consider that the boat question "of the aggression to which thei country fas been "exposed hae been dater-mined Tonig while ago in their favour, They Ihave no ime to waste to convince those Who not want to be convinced. However that may be, this journal, in the desire to. preserve the foreign community's reputation for fairplay and reliance on facts rather than fancy, eon siders it important to make this passing Tecord, since Mr. Hirota specifically raises dhe" issue, still there are some who desire to hug to their bosoms the delusions of a lifetime they must be left In that comfortable If ignominious position. "It may be permissible however to paint out once more that when the mighty man overwhelmingly aunts. hig strength in the ce of the weaker, the mere fact that the latter, in a spontaneous or involuntary effort to stave' off the Inevitable blow, actually. stiles fest does not alter the identity' of the aggressor. That fundamental fact cannot-be Ignored
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.