Through military weapons is seen the only means to weld not only the political but the productive powers of the two oriental nations. It is sincerely believed by the Japanese military party—however heretical that notion may seem to us—that this method will also work out to the good of the Chinese people.
Thus the system of economi regi mentation and monopoly, wh h has long obtained in Japan proper, whereby a few colossal concerns conduct the bulk of the nation's busi-mess, has been applied in Manchoukuo, is being put into operation in North-China, and also attempted in the regions of Central China.
The biggest and most serious step adopted in this direction is the indefinite closing of the Yangtze River to any other shipping but that of Japan. There may be purely military reasons why Japanese feel justified in doing so, but to foreign powers the (explanations given are not convincing.
The "North-China Daily News" re-paris the formation of a new Japanese shipping concern to be known as the Yangtze River Steamship Company. It is stated that this firm aims at the monopoly of all river trade between Shanghai and Yangtze ports. The Company has already held its "first meeting at the Astor House Hotel, Shanghai, on Saturday, December 10, when 60 directors were appointed and a Chinese compradore Operations are to commence next month, and there will be maintained, by sixteen vessels, regular services to all porte.
The new company is believed to be a subsidiary of the (Japanese) Cen-ital China Development Company, which aims at monopolizing all trade within the area occupied by Japanese forces, proceeding on the same lines as the China Inland Steam Navigation Ca, which has secured, it is said, a monopoly of all launch services in the Shanghai area.
"economic ce-operation between Japan and China is inevitable and unavoidable." The writer states that "it would be most advantageous to China because realization of such economic ce-operation will assure China of a market for her materials and resources. The present incident, it is stated, has occurred because the National Government of China rejected relations of mutuality and reciprocity and menaced the right of existence of the Japanese Empire." The Empire, it goes on to stress, is firmly determined to check and remove obstacles in the way of Sino-
Japanese economic ce-operation, irrespective of the difficulties that may be encountered.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.