The Japanese are, a strongly in-regrated nation and people at all times. From the national standpoint their psychology is still largely a tribal psychology surviving on into this modern age. An injury to one member of the tribe is am injury to all others to be avenged regardless of the cost a ever and above, is the Great Tribal Chieftain.
Seldom has this psychology been given the opportunity to function so dramatically as during these trying days that were ushered in by a few rifle shots at night on the plains of Hopei.
There is simply the one outstanding fact to record: Japan prefers not to fight but is ready to do so unless some at present veiled way out of the impasse be found. unanimous. How such optimism was ved by those supposed to be rapport with all things Japanese unfathoniable, nor is it possible to detect upon what it is based.
No intelligent Japanese to whom I have talked but is seriously concerned. but feels t conflict is Be wise, take care of now become w. but feels that the Empire faces its gravest your eyes... have crisis since 1904 and the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War. No newsboy, house servant, hotel beilthem examined reg-ong many readers mu honesty be recorded that the Japan: e people have admirable 1 un expect restraint u to the moment Certainly it is a ut such as has not been i past when conflict with China. If the had come into existence the Japanese Army ive been at the lo ese That it forces. is not to-day is interesting, significant and capable of explanation and analysis, There are several motives enter-to Japan's reluctance to ta the feld of battle now that what seems from the Japanese viewpoint, a golden opportunity is offered. and the chief of these is that Japan desires no war of any sort, official or unofficial, ith any with Chi cther Powe: ned Japan will high: and how good an accounting it will give of itself can best be surmised by a glance at previous wars in which this Empire has been engaged. But the outstanding fact is that Japan does Asia policy and making itself th unchallenged master-dictator of thi quarter of the globe.
The few years which have intervened have brought disillusionment [ith them. The evidence of this fact is so strong as to be incontrovertible. Not only have Japanese horns been drawn in to a considerable degree as regards Soviet Russia and the policy toward China modified, but the Ant Comintern Agreement with Berlin was motivated in part to gain a friend n the West. At the very moment of he most recent Sino-Japanese trouble Ambassador Shigeru Yoshida was eeking in London to bring about a rapprochement w th the British Em-ith the cessation of the provoca tive notes of protest from, the former American Secretary of State. Mr. Henry L. Stimson, American-Japanese relations have grown steadily better that they were almost back to the desirable state of 1923. Much of this hardly achieved progress toward improved international relationships would of necessity be sacrificed in boy. petty merchant or other of the many facets that make up the composite "man in the street" but voices the same conclusion, although he has reached it more by a process of intuition and feeling rather than of informed reasoning. It is nonetheless trong and powerful for that.
The manner in which the nation has moved as a unit. has been welded into a single mind, since the Sunday morning July 11 able. It w y morning that the North China situa-the first time a a serious aspect in the eyes of Japan.
All day long the bells of newsboys selling tras" were to be heard, and the general public became th oughly aroused. The inet met urgent session, "and the Prince-
Premier departed immediately hereafter for the seaside Hayama where His staying, only to hasten back to T himself the next day.
Elements in Conference the few days that immediately followed, the Government ularly for greater comfort and health.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.