To the Editor of the "Nontn-Cumva Dany NEWS"
Sm,—Since Japan has rejected lately the- demand made by Great "Britain, United States of America and France, in respect to the-Yangize river navigation, many arguments, view-points, complaints or explanations are reported daily in ihe papers. However, from my personal point of view, none of them seem to have realized the vital point of this question.
The vital point referred to is this; soon after the current hostilities started, Chinese military authorities closed and blockaded the Yangtze river navigation for shipping of any nationality. Against this, none of the third parties has made proper protest within my knowledge. This means; the navigable Yangtze river does not exist any more so far as the rights or interests of the third parties are concerned. Their right in question has been completely waived, according to the technical construction of international law. The right of the third parties on the Yangtze river navigation was conferred or recognized by the Chinese National Government, and it became virtually null and void, or at least indefinitely ceased to exist by the fact of blockade done by the Chinese military authorities. It must be minded that the status of blockade is still existing so far as the third parties are concerned, which Japan has nothing to do with. The Chinese blockade of the Yangtze has been removed by the Japanese force on her own accord, and which likewise the third parties have-.had nothing to do with, Japanese spokesmen say: "The river has been re-opened solely for military purpose, the navigation of the third parties shipping is still dangerous, shipping facilities are not avallable or so on." However, these explanations are not proper and liable tó be taken as an unprincipled excuse for Japanese monopoly of Yangtze river trade. Those spokesmen seem to have not clearly realized real Japanese stand in this connection.
It can be taken as generally cepted that apart from the politico 1 cause of the current Sino-Japanes: conflict, the Yangtze river trade has been blockaded against Japan by Chiangs regime. And when booms and mines were laid down, the river trade of the third parties was concurrently blockaded. It is to be sympathized with the third parties whose right and interests have been completely destroyed on account of this. Now, Japan has removed the Chinese blockade of Yangtze river by force for her own interests, at the expense of tremendous cost of war operations. For such Japanese work, those third parties, who are now protesting against. Japan, have not only not rendered any collabora-tión, but they even showed certain objection, From these ital facts, third parties are in no wy entitled to claim to benefit thems of the re-opening of Yangtze rivég. From lawful construction, the rir is still în the condition blockaded b* China but Hot by Japan, and no navigable Yangtze river exists now, so far as the third parties are concerned. How Japan may utilize the navigation of Yangtze river, for military, purpose or for commercial purpose, it Japan's own business. No third party can say anything against it.
"The same construction can be applied io the cases of Ports of Tsingtao, Canton and Amoy, as these ports have been closed and blockaded by Chinese for any foreign shipping when booms and mines were 1 down, and the lawful status of blockade will be indefinitely continued, or the function of open ports cease to exist. The removal of booms and mines by Japanese force does not affect at all the said status of the ports.
TORIAN.
Shahghai, Nov. 18.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.