As day M: succeeded day the situation has grown more and more ense, public opinion in both countries has become more and more inflamed, and if there is any way of honourably drawing back from the rik of the abyss that now looms it be seen by the eye of the and neutral observer. The forces set in motion by those first few. rifle shots have reached a point where it seems inevitable that blood, and much blood at that, will have to flow ere sanity can be restored. Both sides. in so f public and. military Opinion go, have worked themselves up into a frenzy that can be exoi only by this old-fashioned of each killing thousands of others n Your correspondent devoutly hope: that he is entirely wrong and be only too glad to join the ranks of the false prophets if but the o portunity is afforded him, but watching and sensing the pulse of opinion here, both official and mass, ne can record no other prophesy.
Japan is convinced that (unofficial) ar is inevitable. That conviction ids from the most highly daced Japanese to the man in the street.
There are, of course, a few exceptions, but they are so few as to be negligible. The only -place where optimism can be found to-day is, curiously enough. in the diplomatic corps. but even there it is not im the event that became necessar; Educators and prefectural governors, students and farmers and day Jabourers were and still most distinctly a as one in this respect, and above all the women of the nation, those who are always called upon to make the most heart-rending of all sacri fices when war comes stand in solid and unwavering support of the Government and whatever it deems wisest to do in North China
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.