Twenty years ago today the horrendous sound of human strife which occupied men's minds for over four long and weary years ended in what seemed to be a strange silence. Mankind had become so accustomed to war that its cessation left it not only dismayed but somewhat disbelieving, unbelief arising out of a feeling of unreality. It seemed hardly possible that men who had pursued the dreadful science of war could ever return to the humdrum activities of peace, if indeed it were peace, for the events of the past two decades have clearly shown that bellum magis desierat, quam pax coeperat, That is what the world now realizes; it was the end of war, but not necessarily the beginning of peace. When the mind is thrown back to November 11, 1918, the realization on that day that the arms of wa were to be laid aside and high hopes of permanent amity were being raised, it is possible to understand how greatly humanity kas disappointed itself, indeed has frustrated itself and robbed itself of all the benefits which it was hoped a war to end would bring. The world has seen since a rapid deterioration in international morality, an increase in the cynical disregard of national commitments. so serious that it gives rise to the question as to whether or not civilization is not even now at the commencement of its collapse. All that ended on this day twenty years ago was the outward visible application of the physical means of struggle, a fight with other weapons was toward, and it has not yet been brought to an end. It may never be until another bout of bloodletting brings mankind back to some sort of sanity, when, however, it may then be too late. This peace has achieved little or nothing, and the grandiose schemes which were laid for the future have been in the main brought to naught. On two continents warfare is being prosecuted. For two years past the popula- i tion of tortured Spain has been the victim of warring ideologies, while in China, for nearly sixteen months past, millions of innocent Chinese have been the victims of a ruthless invasion in which imperial designs are given an ideological mask.
Since last Armistice Day the world has been brought right to the brink of a general outbreak of hostilities. During September Europe watched aghast the rapid approach fo what seemed to be inevitable war, a war which no nation wanted and which was only averted by means which are still the subject of considerable controversy. Calm reflection however will in all probability; show that while the cost of peace was heav: while sacrifices had to be made which seemed almost too high. realization of what would row be happening throughout Europe, if Mr. Chamberlain had not been successful, must justify the thought that, perhaps, afte all the price was not too great. On the other hand it is unlikely that the world will consent to pay any higher price, and the respite which has now been securea will need to be jealously guarded if present instability i to be transformed into greater security. It is imperative that the memory of those millions of brave men of all nationalities who made the great sacrifice for their countries during the four years which ended on the day of which this is the twentieth anniversary shall be honoured in the perpetuation of that peace for which they so gallantly fought. It is, or should be, a definite obligation upon the honour of mankind that those brave souls whose bodies lie in so many alien lands shall sleep in an atmosphere of international amity. It is just as much an obligation to them to see that their posterity shall enjoy somethin which was denied them in their lives. These are sentiments to which men of all nations can subscribe, for though it is held by some people that war is a necessary feature of life on this planet, it is also true that peace is an even more important requisite. They are both attributes of nature in which the processes are almost equally balanced between struggle and cooperation.
How is this cessation of war to be transformed into a real and lasting peace? Obviously by the removal of old evils and the institution of the rule of law and justice. The rule of law will not return to the world until justice all round has been done, and it is being borne in upon the minds of men that those evil documents which recorded the cessation of hostilities in 1918 need very considerable rectification if the causes of future irritation are to be removed. It is not to be believed for one moment that there are among the leaders of men so criminally minded as to desire war for its own sake.
If indeed there are, then the world has progressed very little from the times when such conditions undoubtedly did exist. The immediate need is a greater amount of faith between governments. Mr. Chamberlain is experimenting with that end in view, and should it be found that there is no faith, then the world will be in so parlous a condition that only in might will there be any safety. Faith, justice, tolerance are the qualities of which the world stands most in need in this day and age. Cooperation must take the place of ancient grudges, but if that is to come about then the latter must be firmly eradicated. And, what is more, hope is necessary. One of the worst things for mankind to do at the present moment is to accept the unduly pessimistic view of the inevitability of war. To do so is to contribute to its ultimate coming; to reject it the best possible assurance for the future of peace. A war psychosis is the worst possible thing that can be encouraged at the present moment. Instead there should be fostered a determination to do everything possible to bring about the functioning of every factor operating in favour of international friendship. Such are easily recognizable in international politics of today, but the chief is the importation of a greater degree of justice into national relationships, a justice which will have to be as rigorously served as any of the more pressing demands of war. That this will necessitate a considerable modification of the national outlook of the countries involved in the Great War is certain, but that should not be impossible to effect. It is with this thought that this article must be closed: it is undoubtedly sweet and honourable to die for one's country, but the new order, if it can ever be brought about, will make it just as necessary and as honourable to live for it, The Slammed Door The pious declarations of Tokyo spokesmen on the "open door" in China would make interesting reading were it not for the fact that every statement seems to coincide with further ion intended to keep the door as firmly closed as possible to any but Japanese trade. Apart from those few crumbs of comfort patronizingly imparted by the attitude of "If you are very, very good we'll see what we san do for you," there is not much encouragement in sight and joint action by the British and American Governments becomes increasingly imperative. At the very moment Mr. Kenji Kodama, President of the new Central China Development Company, is talking about the greater future for Shanghai without specifying definitely for whom it will unfold its glowing promise. A typical incident of discrimination comes from North China where British cigarette interests are reported to be making representations in respect of the Japanese-sponsored Kalgan Government which is taxing cigarette imports but is favouring Japanese manufacturers by imposing only 60 per cent. of the tox imposed on other firms' products. Details of the Central China Development Company do not indicate any marked departure from Japanese procedure in controlling and developing Chinese markets. Railways, waterworks, power plants, shipping, telephone, telegraph and wireless systems and general commercial act re included in its charter, Even real estate and a new subsidiary which will control and distribute fish products are among the Company's enterprises while the character of the new administrations formed to undertake municipal duties in the towns cities within Japanese-occupied territory leaves little doubt of the nature of the commercial relationships which will be established. Mr. Kodama, in his interview, deprecated the idea of monopolies and welcomed foreign ce-operation, but he saw no necessity for foreign capital in the new concern, It is just a purely commercial firm "working principally for the happiness of the Chinese people," he said. Perhaps so, but it is difficult to reconcile statements with facts. Mr. Kodama states that the Central China Development Company is a purely Japanese concern, capitalized at 'Y.100,000,000, half of which will be taken up by the Imperial Japnese Government and the other half by the general public, this being the holding company. Its affiliated and subsidiary companies will te Sino-Japanese enterprises, or, in other words, within the limits and restrictions oft control through purely Japanese capital, industry and commerce outlined in the extensive charter announced by the new Company will be permitted to operate and develop.. It would be pleasant to believe and share in Mr. Kodama's optimism of an international market but a careful scrutiny of the economic and political portents fails to reveal anything beyond what everybody knows—that such is not Japan's present intention,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.