Japanese cooperation in the League's efforts to discover the right way to approach "solution of the Manchurian problem will be generally recognised as highly desirable, Mr. Matsuoke's able conduct of Japan's ease at free from threats which were, at one time, a trifle too frequently. on the lips of spokesmen in Tokyo, The insistence laid on Japanese support is due to the intricate relations of the Great World Powers over the question of disarmament. For that reason France, Great Britain and Italy—to name only the presently active members of the League—are bound to look at the Manchurian issue, less in the light of a local dispute between two great Far Eastern nations than asa test of undertakings to reduce commitments for national defence, Recent statements in Europe and America have already shown how vitally the disarmament question is affected by any suggestion that Japanese actions in Manchuria can be interpreted as weakening the security offered by international agreements, Mr. Matsuoka argues that the trend of events in China toward anarchy and chaos threw on Japan the obligation to ring ' Manchuria with a cordon sanitaire. The Lytton Report insists that, disordered as the state of China is, it shows a definite improvement As compared with conditions in 1922 when Japan, in common With her sister-powers, engaged herself to observe China's inter grity. Valuable guidance on. this point comes from quite another source, Mr. RH. Tawney, whose eminence "as student of political economics is indisputable, discusses this sub-Ject in his latest book, "Labour and Land in China." He frankly recognises the wisdom of a policy of concentration by Nanking on the comparatively restricted area over which the Central Government has assured control. He not credible that the internal instability, by which China been racked" during the quarter of a century, will for long continue. Either she will find an equilibrium for "herself and evolve a Government stron, enough to. maintain it, 0 will be compelled, under' one guise or another to acquiescence in one imposed by foreign action"
The Washington Conference looked to the former solution; Japan's aim, as judged by Mr. Tawney in the light of recent events, is at the latter. And confirmation of the Lytton Report comes in his reminder to the European that derision of "the failure of China to build in thirty years a level highway from the old world to the new" ignores the history of Europe itself, Japan. has been honourably associated with the rest of the outside world in developing the policy of patience. She was thrown out of step" mainly, it seems to critics here, og the result of her own' internal difficulties which enabled patriotic, but over-zealous, militarists to' force the hands of her
her perplexing embarrassments diplomat Appreciation of should be as active as sympathy with the Chinese Government's handling of the formidable task of creating a modern state, Her work in developing the resources of Manchuria, on which she has expended so much life and money, has long commanded admiration. China has benefitted in no small degree from the tonic effect of association with that system to which the South Manchuria Railway has provided the driving force, Harm can only be done, however, Japan's cause and to. the prospects of a satisfactory solution of the Manchurian problem, if unsound arguments are adduced to approve neglect of the considerations so powerfully but restrainedly outlined in the Lytton Report, When, for example, Dr, E. J, Dillon uses the weight of his long experience and unrivalled authority to argue that recent letters to him, recording chaos and disorder at Mukden and Harbin, justify Japan's Manchukuo adventure, he runs the risk of forfeiting any claim to critical integrity. He is demonstrably distorting cogent evidence for the prosecution to serve the interests
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.