Reply to Mr. Paterson-Weld To the Editor of the '"Nonru-Citwa Dany News"
Sim—With the deferential admiration of your "correspondent whose letter appeared on November 26 under this heading, for Japan's remarkable rise—in consequence of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance which saved her from defeat in 1904-05—to the status of a first class power, it would be churlish to quarrel, But when he speaks of "admirable leadership and wise statesmanship," of Japan being respected member of the family of nations, and declares that Japan "on more than one occasion in the past has given proof of her ability and desire {to keep her pledges or undertakings," he is protesting a Jittle too much, '"witl you permit me to ask him some questions? "Was it admirable leadership and wise statesmanship which allowed Japan to he brought to the bar at Geneva and found guilty of failing to keep her pledges or undertaking? And is an indictment of this kind—which nearly Atty nations cendorsed—a sign thet Japan Is a respected member of the family of nations? Does your correspondent seriously contend that keeping one's word "on more than one occasion'' implying that these are exceptional events—is much of a credential?
Ing one's word on every occasion ight be something to boast of, though most nations would deem it' an understand thing He also declares that "with a will" the military occupation of Manchuria ight, be considered as a. purely "tocal" affair, Possibly he Is right and the Lengue of Nations, and its creation the Lytton Commission which spent months investigating the matter in view of its international significance were Wrong. A cause that depends on special pleading and misrepresentation clearly is in an evil ease, Tt Is pleasant to tur from a letter of this typo to that of "Berzaxnra" referring to your splendid leading article entitled "China Dissected." If T may say so, it was heartening to British subjects to find the defeatist alley of "The Times" meeting with such salutary reprehenston in your columns, Some of the British tu this country, where prestige counts for, 30 much, were beginning to get dis: couraged by constant suggestions that Grea! Britain must go cap in hand to Japan for permission to exercise our sovereign rights in China or anywhere else. As long as we keep our pledges and undertakings we (need not humbly ask Japan for permission to lend China money, or to do anything else to help her upon her feet:
T thank you for the courageous and digmifed altitude that you have taken, PIR
Shanghai, Nov. 26, Mr, Peterson-Weld's Reply To the Editor of the "Nonrn-Cuawa Dany News"
Sm—Being more concerned with essentials and fundamentals—essential facts, fundamental forces, original causes, basic elements, basic principles—and tess with incidental sults oF superficial phenomena, the arguments advanced by P.LF. leave me completely indifferent, unmoved ud unperturbed, This sort of argument, the logic of which is excellent for as far as it oes, or for as far as these arguments apply, really leads us nowhere, having not the least practical value as expedients, palliatives or remedies in a desperate situation, forming no Solution of an urgently pressing and acute' problem. Recognition essential facts, giving the Japanese their due for their achievements and secomplishments in peace, if not in war, is not at all incompatible with profound sympathy for China in hee present plight.
Besides, this firm, resolute and courageotis stand taken by your.correspondent, presumably a Briton, is now hopelessly and pathetically cut-of-date, being exactly four years too late. Suppose that four years ago Sir 'John Simon, of erstwhile prominence, had shared' these honest convictions opinions of your correspondent'?
On the other hand, if we are really, looking for the original causes of the Dretent critfeal_ situation we would perhaps locate them either here in China or in Japan—probably in both. Possibly, indeed and forsooth, we might have to go stil farther afeld. Whether we like, it or not, we may have to attribute, at least in part, the sufferings of China" and Severs] pertinent fairs accomplish to the attempts of second-rat men to shape or to influence the world's affair Anyway, the truth is that the course of events, the life, the fate, the destinies of nations, as of individual fare determined by such essential facts, original causes and fundamental forees—not by stich arguments Gllecticians like P.LF, or myself can think up.
S. Prrenson-Weto.
Shanghai, Nov. 28.
The Facts Examined To the Editor of the "Norru-Camwa Datty News"
SiS, Pereasox-Weio writes with commendable restraint on the burning subject of Sino-Japanese relations, It proper that he should require that they be resolved on the basis of focis." But he, too, over-simplifies the difficulty; for he falls to distinguish between true facts and interpreted facts.
The facts of life are patent to all honest men—one of them is that war idoes not pay—yet, by the myopic vision to which we are educated through our false leaders, we construe those facts so that they are rendered fakse—and we are still taught that war does pay. We had 2,000 years of precedent and "fact" to know that the Treaty of Versailles was only per~ petuating a vicious circle of "your dey yesterday, mine to-day." The facts were there; all honest men knew it wouldn't work—but what use was a mere knowledge of the facts, when the heart of man chose to misconstrue or ignore them?
'A further example, Is it a "fact" that North China wauls independence? Evidently it is a faci—a Japanese fact, But is ita true fact? Of course It Is not.
1s, then, Japan basing her acts toward China on the true "essentials jand fundamentals" of the situation?
maintain that she is not, and therein Ties the ultimate tragedy for her if she persists on her course based on Hner so-called "realities." While Japan was a League member she was insisting that all her acts in Manchuria could be accommodated to China's or the League's Needs, To-day she is frank enough—the military group at least, vide" the pronouncements of General Argki, General Tada. and Jothers—to admit that it Is Japan's ex-elusive needs that dictate her policies.
But what are the true needs of the situation and how. do. Japan's acts belie them? May I suggest that the true, the essential, the - fundamental cause of the present Sino-Japanese impasse is that Japan is not content to. bull up a. national livelihood based on a strategy of peace, but, inflamed by" financial-cum-militarist ambition, parading in religlo-cum~ patriotic robes. she is interpreting her heeds on the basis of a political and militsrlly strategic conception of national livelihood, There was a day, was there not, when Japan was con-Tent with aims of a peaceable commercial supremacy in China? To-day she is organizing for war and not for peace, and it is the attempt to, $0 Organize that {s at the root of all her diticulties with China and, as she will discover if she persists on her present course, with the world Shanghai, Nov.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.