To the Editor of the "WNormt-Ciawa Dancy News"
Sm—Like everybody, when T read the "reports from Japanese sources regarding the fantastic number of Soviet planes alleged to have been shot down in Manchoukuo, I remain-td sceptical." However, although such Feports may. appear. Incredible, theoretically it 1s possible to check the number of planes brought down, because, as a rule, there are thous: ands of witnesses on the spat and it is'easy, ater all, to figure the number of such planes which have been shot But when the propaganda services Chungking allege, according Slspatch- appearing in today's issue of the NCDN. that during the month of July and for the second half only (Gla). "15,008 Japanese have" been kaitled in "205 engagements on all fronts" one has to wonder, to. what extent Chungking believes that your readers are such fools!
On the first place, let us admire an. "intelligence' service", who. mane ges on, the very last day of July ud. that day Included to" ascertain {he number of killed in 365 different places throughout China!
Furthermore, everyone mows, that the dead are never loft on the battle fea, except In case of a hurried elréat, Let _us admit that such is the ease for 10 per cent. of the casualties, "How can therefore the Chinese or any. body, except the Sapanese, tell" the exact figure of hele" Tosses? "13.004"... mind you. Not' one more and not one less.
Propaganda of the kind iso idiotic that only fools can take it seriously and only imbeciles can resort to it Wan Hoase.
Shanghai, Aug. 2.
Sm=It you will forgive me referring at this late hour to the British Declaration which marked the first stage of the Tokyo conversations, and to your Editorial "That Protest," there are one or two points on which T must take issue with the opinions expressed.
The leader mentioned leads off with a quotation from an English paper, the recognition of facts is the beginning of political wisdom. ers But the question immediately arises De. to. what tacts are to.he recasnised and it is largely on this question that the wisdom or otherwise of the British declaration must be judged. In this instance the Washington Conference in 1922 is one of the more suitable facts with which to start 'That conference and the Nine Power 'Treaty growing out of it guaranteed the territorial integrity of China. 'The background to the Conference was a horror of war aroused by the events of 1914 to 1918, a desire to prevent the possibility' of a war in the Pacific, and, as shown by the failure to produce a cut and dried system for dealing with any breakage of the Treaty, a feeling that force as means of settling disputes would Rot be used in the future between civilised nations, amongst which Japan was than included. The Nine Power Kellogg Pact, ete, were all part of an attempt to found world society on the acknowledgement of the rule of law, and that society has a moral basis largely drawn from Christian ethics.
'When ghting started "between Japan and China in July 1997 it was held by' the civilized world, ie. by such nations as professed a' respect for law in international relationships, that Japan had acted contrary the letter and spirit of the Nine Power Treaty and had committed on fact of aggression. This decision was reached by the Brussels Conference and was re-affirmed by the League of Nations, from which resolutions have emanated urging its members to give such support as they can to China ind denouncing Japan as an ogeressecond fact which can be used as a starting point is the Manchuria Incident of 1931, which marked the beginning of the break-down of the principle of law and the emergence Of the principle of might. Tt was there frst shown that there existed at least one nation which did not regard war, ie, the use of force, as an impossibility," but looked on it_as the usual instrument of policy. The failure of the other nations—and especially of Britain—to meet the challenge was the first step in a series of events leading via Abyssinia, Spain trid Munich to. Tokyo. Throughout this series of events the British Government has professed to be the champion of the doctrine of respect for law, but has always given in to those Who propagate the idea that right is might (when faced by the threat of the use of force). The world is now dominated by the latter Idea, and. its exponents at present hold the initiative, but the fact that this is so does not mean that all Powers should acquiesce in the situation, and questions of right and wrong fare' brought into the picture. A society based on a respect for laws whether intro or international is one Dased on certain ethical concepts regarding right, and a society which bases its actions on views of might is based on the negation of right. If, therefore, the British Government professes—as it frequently does—to et according to right, it should take Its stand on the first mentioned set of facts rather than on the second.
The above paragraphs have been aimed to bring out on the one side a conception of law and on the other 3 conception of might as regulating International relations. The whole course of events in east and west is bounded by these two viewpoints.
to the start of the Tokyo con-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.