Oct. 12
Some talk regretfully of the polish and measured dignity of the old diplomacy. Others sigh for the secrecy which it was held to entail—a secrecy enlivened oclly by calculated indiscreand less calculated. leak-Mr. Joseph Chamberlain Was never a diplomatist and when he ventured upon the discussion of foreign affairs, he was apt to shock—as he did, for example, with that historic reference to a long spoon. It would seem that the historical Tesearches of Tokyo might usefully recall that cautionary utterance. The perturbation aroused by the Soviet Government's publication of certain iMuminating "documents " might then be mitigated. For Tokyo does not waste much time in "denying the accuracy of the reproductions. There momentarily, a gentle, but almost perfunctory, whisper of the word forgery, but swiftly the emphasis was Inid on the turpitude of the mere publication. A formal denial "has been lodged but, "in reality, "Moscow "is accused of lacking the finer feelings, of throwing to the Winds considerations of -international courtesy, of a breach of etiquette, Whatever retort Moscow may be moved to make, it is comforting to find Saul among the prophets or, rather, Tokyo, in this naughty' world holding up the candle of correct behaviour. The achievement is all the more meritorious because it has to rise superior to perplexity, All concerned in the negotiations over the suggested purchase, of the Chinese Eastern Railway have a right to be perplexed. 'They have. been. di cussing the subject since the Conference at Tokyo was opened on June 26 by Count Uchid: 'That conference was arranged as the'direct outcome of suggestions made by Japan in' a Note Moscow dated May 29. 'The discussions seem to have' hun; fire. No disgrace was involve for' other conferences have undergone similar experiences, Stil it must have been difficult for the conscientious Soviet representative to distinguish between the Manchoukuo principal, the Japanese Foreign Office' intermediaries and advisers and representatives of the Japanese War Office and Japar ese Foreign Office, called simply "observers." To this other com. plications were added. Japan had suggested the purchase of the railway by Manchoukuo. Prices had been mentioned by Moscow and Tokyo but there was no indecent haste in making a selection. Yet, on the spot, the Manchoukuo authorities appeared to be already exercising the rights of owners. They had even changed the name of the railway, Here Moscow appears to have made its error. Determined to get at the bottom of this confusion of entities, it invoked the intelligence of its intelligence service. The difficulty was plain: here were. principals, intermediaries, advisers, obser vers and they' were frequently mingled in pleasantly comrade-like union. In Manchoukuo an administration which displayed a similar ability to adopt protective colouring executed *Chinese evolutions with Japanese Precision. Now Moscow, thanks always to the traditions of the Third International, knows something of what' may be called the art of impersonation.
it is not surprising that a familiar atmosphere was in process of enfolding the Soviet delegates at Tokyo and the Soviet representatives at Harbin, The intelligence of the _intelligence service did not fail. It laid before Moscow certain documents purporting to be! copies of correspondence proceeding between Changchun and Tokyo. Moscow's error lay, not in reading this file but in believing that the world should share its privilege. Tokyo, presumably, takes the view that it would be unreasonable to object to the legitimate activities of telligence services which, as every one"knows, are paid to be intelligent. What Tokyo resents is this departure from the best habits of secret diplomacy by resorting to publicity. Thus, not only Moscow but the whole world is let into the secret that the recent arrests of Soviet officials in Manchoukuo are alced to spring from an agreed Policy laid down by the Japanese authorities in Changehun and Tokyo. It will be observed from the correspondence that the chief disputants over policy are the Japanese officials of the Manchoukuo administration and the Japanese Government _representatives. "The pale wraiths of the self-determining Manchu Ministers modestly remain in the background. Thus Moscow's perplexity " decreased—in one direction, to be enhanced in another.' The correspondence seemed to show that discussion of the sale of the railway in Tokyo would be fortunate if it were completed before measures devised by the Japanese author ties in Changehun for Manchoukuo's de facto acquisition of the railw: had been pressed to their logical success. Moscow obviously is not without _ex-Perience in paradoxes, enigmas and other tame inhabitants. the realm of make-believe. This array. of incompatibilities was clearly too bewildering. The explanatory limelight of publi-accordingly sought.
Tokyo's contention is that Moscow is guilty of a breach of diplomatic "manners. Fellow-feeling prompts the comment that harsh measures against the Tass correspondent deserve reconsideration, He is but the instrument of Moscow's search for the unravelling of mysteries. This is perhaps appreciated the fact that a protest is to be made—or has been made—direct to Moscow. There will be wholehearted support of the need to observe the niceties of international relationship. Tokyo comes out strong here. This may reasonably be taken to imply a resolute repudiation of the theory that the conventions, which have lately been accepted by modern diplomatists and governments aswell as by the League of Nations, are made to be ignored at will or in the exi-agency of "special interests". Such insistence on correct deportment encourages the belief that the Japanese Government will overhaul some of the procedure which seems to have gained currency with its representatives aeroplanes have Japanese warships manuring at the mouth of the Yangtze, Japanese forces have been realistically training themselves in certain forms of warfare in and in the neighbourhood of Shanghai. No doubt these signs of alertness can be brought within what the diplomatists call the framework of international understandings. The question arises whether' they have been provided with the necessary equipment for this process of im~ munication. The perplexities of Moscow do not stand alone. [Tokyo must be allowed to indulge the same luxury. The habits learnt in Harbin or Changehun cannot be conveniently transported elsewhere without, that blessed device known as adapt tion to the needs of the local situation, Tokyo will probably be glad to bear that point in mind. Just now its preoecupations in ordering the proper conduct of the world are great. [Schoolmastering is a difficult job. When it involves the teaching of proper diplomatic modes it is all the more difficult. But Tokyo, in its wisdom, naturally _appre-clates how instructive is the tag, "Quis enstodiet, ipso custodes?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.