It is reasonable to suppose that the delay in handing the latest British note to Japan, on the subject of that Government's policy towards China and the third party neutrals, should have lost some of its force through not having been presented very quickly after the communication delivered by the United States in Tokyo. It is believed that had the two Notes been delivered within a short period of each other the effect might have been all the more important, but whatever may have been lost by the delay seems to be made up for in the tone of the Brit%h Note. Grave anxiety is expressed as a result of a study of the Japanese new policy as indicated in recent statement by the late Prime Minister of Japan. Prince Konoye, and other Japanese statesmen. As has already been pointed out these various utterances have been remarkable for the degree of variance between them, and it is stated quite definitely in the Note that the conversations between the British Ambassador in Tokyo, and the Japanese Foreign Minister have done nothing to dispel that anxiety. The British Government has been obliged to infer what is supposed to be the Japanese policy, which is apparently that it is the intention of the Japanese Government to establish a tri-partite bloc composed of Japan, Manchoukuo and China, in which supreme authority will be vested in Japan, the other two countries playing very subordinate role: That is quite probably what the Japanese policy regarding China amounts to at the moment, though it must be pointed out that is doubtful in the extreme whether when pan first embarked upon the China Incident she had anything more in mind than the rape of the northern provinces. She was not permitted to concentrate upon that one thing, but obliged to extend her operations in China beyond anything she originally conceived, sand there is every reason to believe that Jap present policies, far from being carefully planned before the Lukouchiao ai like Topsy, ust growed. at is most probably the reason why there is still some difficulty on the part of Whitehall in ascertaining what is Japan's declared policy, though from the facts as they develop the ultimate result can be foretold with no small degree of certainty.
Japan's original intention, being to grab off a large portion of Chinese territory, became extended as her commitments on the Asiatic continent increased because of the recaleitrancy of a nation which would not, and does not now accept defeat. A minor undertaking has developed into a major war, and Japan has been put to such a cost that nothing less than the complete subjugation of the country, and its inclusion in a cultural, political and economic hegemony can pos ably repay Japan for the enormous outlay which she continues to make. To achieve she has to do a Nine Power Pact, to dishono hi very definite undertaking there and.to exclude all those other Powers with whose assistance China was rapidly improv ing her Condition. Japan could not bear to see a strong neighbour on the mainland. She wanted a source of supply of raw materials and an exclusive market for finished products, and, when the economic ambitions of Japan are realized, it is apparent that the political reasons given for this adventure are but fragile devices which deceive no one unless is it the Japanese people themselves. What is being attempted is to arrange for an unhindered exploitation of the Chinese people under the guise of assisting them in the development of their country and themselves. In view of these facts it is easy to perceive why the British Government fails to reconcile them with the latest utterances of Prince Konoye, that Japan seeks no territory and respects the sovereignty of China. The two cannot be reconciled, either in terms of the old instruments binding upon Japan, or in view of the developments by which Japan claims to have brought about a new state of affairs in which existing commitments need no longer be honoured. That Britain takes the realistic view of the whole matter and judges rather by deeds than by words is about the most hopeful sign that a firma: policy will be followed in the future than has been the case in the past.
The stiffening of British and American representations to Japan must not be allowed te remain where it has at present brought them. Communications of this sort will continue to be of little avail so long as the Japanese are allowed to persuade themselves that Notes are all they have to worry about. The decision on the parts of America, Britain and France to embark upon further action may conceivably be delayed, but it should be made plain to Japan that in the event of the rejection of the Americanand British Notes, matters will not be considered closed, but that the objecting nations reserve to themselves the right to take such other steps as may seem appropriate. That in effect means that the nations concerned are determined that sooner or later there l have to be a settlement with Japan, that they will not permit that nation to ride rough-shod over the rights which have been legitimately and honourably built up in this country during the past one hundred years. It may be neçessary ultimately to point out to Japan that she cannot expect to enjoy rights and privileges in other parts of the world which she is busily engaged in denying to other parties to the Nine-Power Pact in China. That presupposes eventual retaliation unless there is some change in the degree of sincerity with which Japan regards the position of those other Powers with regard to China. Japanese contentions of a new state of affairs having occurred in China cannot be accepted Japan by her own wrongful acts has indeed produced a new and very unfortunate condition, but it is contrary to all ideas of equity that a country should be thus allowed to benefit from its own wrongdoing. Fortunately the strength of the British Note lies in the fact that it tersely demolishes the many specious arguments that the Japanese have put forward to justify their behaviour towards China. Unilateral modifications of Treaties cannot be justified, but it is becoming increasingly clear that if Japan persists in that doctrine it may be applied as against herself, and that is even now the very last thing she can afford to have done.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.