To the Editor of the NortH-Cumva Dany NEWS"
Sm—At the conclusion of an editorial in today's paper—an extremely able and interesting article if I may say so—you state that "Mr. Chamberlain has made it quite clear that the help he (Mr. Kodama) will need will not be forthcoming without those reforms in the treatment of foreign interests in China which alone is consistent with Japan's honour and the many undertakings she has given."
I am. sure that many of your readers will be delighted to learn the text of such a statement and the date when Mr. Chamberlain made it.
The general impression is that he made in the House of Commons on Wednesday last the most cynical announcement ever voiced by a national leader, namely that Britain was equally willing to lend financial aid to the successful aggressor or to his victim if the latter defeated the aggressor by his own efforts. Lord Halifax at Geneva declared that Britain, under its present leadership, was agreeable to barter principle for the preservation of peace, but it was left to the Prime Minister to suggest, by implication, that all the talk of collective security and sanctity of treaties was what we used to call "eyewash," and would be enthusiastically sidetracked if an opportunity presented itself of getting so much per cent, Believe me, I am sincere in saying that I shall rejoice, as 1 know many cther British subjects will do, if you can supply us with chapter and verse for the statement that you attribute to Mr. Chamberlain. We have been waiting for it for over twelve months, and it will be timely now that Washington has spoken out in very firm language.
N. R. Shanghai, Nov. 4.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.