Mr, Shigeru Yoshida, Japanese Ambassador to the Court of St. James, seems to have let the cat out of the bag by his recent statement fon the subject of the bombing of Canton. When worldwide protests came to be heard against the destruction, death and mutilation wrought upon the population of the southern city, the Japanese explained that the acroplanes were sent against military objectives fand that there. was no desire wantonly bomb innocent civilians, That the explana~ tion failed to carry with it much conviction was inevitable as the dally totals of the killed and wounded came to be known, and the impression was confirmed in many a mind that it the Japanese. were indeed directing their efforts only against military objectives, their marksmanship was remarkably poor. On Tuesday five members of the China Cam= paign Committee in London formed a deputation to call upon Mr, Yoshida and protest against the bombings, and it was. while addressing them that the Japanese Ambassador made remarks which will probably have an extensive repercussion. He appears to have covered the Japanese policy' which lea up to this undeclared war. 'The Japanese Government, he said "found it necessary destroy the anti-Japanese movement" in China." 1t had been hoped in the beginning that hostilities would be Tocalized in' the North, but the Japanese forces had reluctantly to go on to Shanghai, Nanking and now Canton, "The Japanese, he declared did not want to bomb Canton, but the bombings were undertaken in order to demoralize the Chine ese people, and prevent reinforcements being Sent from Canton. Who now is correct? The Japanese spokesmen in Tokyo and China who have consistently claimed that. the air-raids were directed against military objectives that Canton was not an open town, but a well defended one, or Mr. Yoshida who blandly Admits that the intention behind the alr-raids was to demoralize the Chinese people? There {sa type of military thought which believes that by striking terror into the hearts of the enemy it is possible to bring about the speedy termination of a war.
Tt is even contended that this terror, because of its chances of quick success, is in fact the milder way of perpetrating war, that itis more merciful in that it swifty brings peace again, Holders of this belief also believe that the aeroplane is the best weapon for achieving such desirable ends. They do not appear tin have earned anything from what has been happening these two years in Spain, where despite the continual, moreles bombing of towns and innocent civilians, the Nationalist insurgents have not yet succeeded Ju striking terror into the heavis of the supporters of the Spanish Government, The rain of death. from' the aeroplane has not yet Succeeded in breaking the morale of the republicans in Spain, and there is very little evidence to support the belief that itis likely to be any more successful in China, But the question of whether or not the air-raid against non-combatants is so successful as this school of thought would hold, is a minor one as compared with the more important matter of the reason for the raids on Canton, There is ample to support. the Japanese military claims that Canton was not an open city but a lawful and proper military objec tive. "Even when that is conceded, however, does not get over the fact that thousand! of people were killed or injured in spots so far away from the military points, that there was every justification for believing that sufficient care was not taken to limit the damage from bombing to those institutions and places which were the proper. objects of attack, "But Mr. Yoshida has torn away the last vestige of excuse Which might still be advanced for what has been going on in Cane ton, and has declared in his official capacity that the air-raids were for the purpose of demoralizing the Chinese. Obviously the best way to do that is not to confine the attentions of the airmen to normal military" objectives, Dut to spread death and destruction over a wide an area as possible. Mr. Yoshida, Tet a very ugly eat out of the bag, and there will probably be no. opportunity' of hiding the beast again.
is a pity that the British clergy cannot prevailed upon to keep quiet with reference to matters such as these, The action of the Archbishop of Canterbury in attending a meeting of protest, led to the secession of the Japanese church. "The Archbishop apparently nought it was his duty to rebuke sin, whone ever and wherever he found it, Dr. Wilson, Bishop of Chelmsford, agrees that "th brutality of the Japanese has. shocked us," but goes on to ask is it not we who have distorted their view." "He suggested that the line of action to take with Japan was not one of force but rather one to attempt and convince the Japanese that through their actions {hey were causing the world to lose faith in them. No statesman. of any standing has stiggested for one moment that Japan should be dealt with by force, and obstacles to doing so manifest that they require no ivf renee here.. It may be possible to convince Japan that she is losing the world's faith in herself, but it may very aptly be asked whee ther Japan is in any such frame of mind to permit that consideration having the slightest weight with her. If Mr. Yoshida's version of the matter is correct all the protests in the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.