May 12.
Lieutenant-General Tada's part ing comment on affairs in China was characteristically uncompromising. In a way it seemed to supply the key to the observations credited to General Feng Vu-hsiang by the Nanking correspondent of the "Daily Herald." General Tada declares there is no smuggling in Eastern Hopel for the simple reason that the goods coming in there have paid the duty levied by the Eastern Hopei authorities. Without aching Eastern Hopel's "autonomous ré- ims" for a copy of its Customs Tariff which, judging from General Tada's remarks, is a sympathetic document, it may here be pointed out that the right of Eastern Hopei fo be a law unto itself is thus endorsed by the military representative of Japan. In the starch for Far Eastern stability another erosion of Chinese soil has occurred, under cover of Japanese military patronage and approval. This Journal has deprecated talk of armed resistance {o Japan because it cannot lead to anything but increased unhappiness for the people of this country. Yet, General Fong Vu-hsiang can hardly be blamed if he feels desperately inclined. The attempts of the Government at Nanking {o obtain from Tokyo a specific exposition of Japan's requirements for the consolidation of Sino-Japanese relationships, have so far met with nothing but a vague reference to "three points" within which anything might be included. Meanwhile, in the North, the usurpation }of Chinese authority proceeds apace under the forceful inspiration of the Kwantung Army. Invoration of unstated terms of the Tangku Truce is used to block the exercise of China's normal functions in maintaining the integrity of her Customs administration, and to facilitate the development of what are known euphemistically as "aulcnomous" movements, Long ago in these columns. the IChitese authorities in the North— and elsewhere for the matter of that—were pictured as in the position of the unfortunate animal, which was being mesmerized by a rattlesnake. If there be no} resistance the snake continues to make its menacing display of fangs. If there be any signs of a movement to escape or retaliate, then at once the fangs are brought into play. The wickedness of the }.1tle animal which defends itself when attacked has never beer 50 abundantly proved. General Feng) Vu-hsiang has incautiously specula ated on the possibility of resistance, and is al once accused of the parlous crime of being ""anti-Japanese." The detached observer may be inclined to aver that no greater wrong can be done to Japan than by champions of a policy whick "Is" undermining "Japan's iplamatie reputation and making dimeult for the world to assess the exact value of any assurance given. by a. Japanese. spokesman. The big bully who taunts the weaker parly beyond endurance and then asserts his overwhelming strength to "protect" himself against attack is not enthusiastically esteem ed. Chivalry is not the distingutshing mark of such conduct. The game may be played for some time with immunity. There will surely, come a stage at which the eternal verities will vindicate themaives.
Then Nemesis will have her innings.
General Tada naively now sugests that the Government at Na king can solve the smuggling nrob-Jem which, according to the arylable General is described on the fucus non tucendo principle, by lowering tariff to meet the reau'rements of the smugglers, That is a delicious theory. It accords of course with the peculiar methods "of its "ox-ponents. First of all the Customs authorities are forbidden to go about their lawful. preventive Secasions and ako. steps for the proper enforcement of their tariff.
Then they are to blame for" the resultant influx of smuggled zeeds which come in under the. virtual Support of Japanese bayonets. and by dint of a. shameless abuse extraterritorial rights. Now—they are asked {o revise their tariff in accordance with the arbitrary notions of the irregular importers of smuggled goods. It is surely a waste of time to discuss this loss fu the doctrine of tariff autonomy which China possesses as a sovereign power, High tariffs are evil as Mr. Cordell Hull has recently declared, but it would be interesting to know what Mr. Hull's reuetion would be to the representations of a Power which first connived at the exercise of armed torve (0 paralyze the authority of the United States Government in California, say, and then, after the influx of smuglied cods through San Francisco into the American continent had caused a complete dislocation of inter national" trade, "suggested that Washington should agree to reduce its" tariff charges. Mr, Boral) and Mr, Piltman—even Mr. Upton Sinclair—would find their vocabularies well taxed to do. justice to the occasion. General Tada is returning {fo Japan afler a brief but lively sojourn in China. "He is certainly faking back with him to Tokyo some diverting theories on inter= national relationships.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.