The developments relative to Tientsin which have just occurred suggest that a very real endeavour will be made to reach a solution of the problems involving the northern port which have resulted from the Sino-Japanese hostilities. The first indication that there was a turn for the better was the announcement that orders had been given to stop the stripping of Britons at the barriers. General Homma in sesking to minimize the effect of stripping was not altogether successful, for while there y be something to be said with regard to the attitude of the Japanese towards nudity, the reason why Britons were being stripped involved completely different considerations which should be apparent to everyone. It was the motive behind the stripping which was the most objectionable part of the whole business, for it is obvious that it was not done purely in the interest of thorough searching, and in private, but carried out in a manner which was calculated to degrade the victims in the eyes onlookers. That, it is pleasing to learn, has now been stopped, and it is to be hoped that the Japanese authorities in Tientsin will sec to it that there is no recurrence of the practice. While not for one moment admitting the right of "the Japanese to search any extraterritorial foreigner, except those of their own nationality, it may be hoped that the removal of this particularly irritating form of discrimination, for discrimination it undoubtedly was, should help to relieve the tension which has prevailed in Tientsin for the past fortnight, and may serve to bring about a better atmosphere for the negotiations which are now, it is reported, to be conducted in Tokyo. This is no time to seek to discover which party has achieved any sort of success. The whole issue as it was at first raised by the Japanese, namely the handing over of the four accused Chinese, was wholly susceptible of compromise, and it is hoped that the transfer of the negotiations from Tientsin to Tokyo will permit of that form of settlement which should tend to improve the relationships between the two nations.
The restriction of the Tientsin dispute to a purely local aspect is in itself a triumph of good sense. Quite obviously, if as it is reported, Japan will demand a complete reorientation of Britain's policy towards the Chinese Government the matter will cease to be the local affair it is sought to maintain it, and will become one of such far-reaching significance that the effecting of a settlement will inevitably be reached with the greatest difficulty. It is not possible to believe that Great Britain will readily consent to so radical a change in its Far Eastern policy as that which it is reported Japan will demand. As it has been pointed out, time and again, British trade and British interests have been built up in China during a century of honourable effort. The ights and privileges which the British enjoy here are the result of successive agreenents made between the British and Chiaes: Governments, and it is inconceivable that Great Britain would consent to the recognition of the much advertised "new order in Asia" which has been brought about by the unilateral action of Japan, and in defiance of her own treaty obligations. For this reason it is to be hoped that when the points which Japan wishes io discuss are published they will not contain such as would condemn the negotiations to failure from the very commencement. Obviously when the time comes for a final settlement of the many questions which have arisen out of the hostilities many points which are now pending will have to be dealt with, but to endeavour to hang the principal of them on the Tientsin incident might serve to defeat the purpose of the proposed negotiations. Should that occur there is danger that the general situation would deteriorate instead of improving, and there is at the present so much room for improvement that a further worsening would in all the circumstances be tragic.
On some of the reported Japanese points it should be comparatively easy to reach a settlement. Even now the fate of the four Chinese prisoners cannot properly be decided by an arbitrary handing of them over to the Japanese authorities. The jealous manner in which Britain has always regarded the administration of the law of extradition requires that the British auorities should be reasonably satisfied of the probability of the men's guilt. They claim not to be at the present, and if the original suggestion of a mixed committee of arbitration, by the decision of which both Britain and Japan would agree to abide, is eventually accepted that would in all probability be the best solution of she difficulty. With the Japanese demand that the neutrality of the British Concés-sion at Tientsin shall be strictly maintained there is complete agreement in principle.
The issue here is one of fact.—Has that neutrality been maintained- or not? The British and Japanese authorities differ on that point, though the evidence "available suggests that the authorities of the Concession have at all times done their utmost to preserve it, and have succeeded to such an extent that only one act of political violence, for which the four Chinese are held, can be alleged against it.: If in these coming negotiations the attention of the rep-presentatives of both governments are concentrated on these two points, there is every hope for a successful issue. Such a success would dd a great deal towards bettering the atmosphere, not only in Tientsin in particular but throughout the Far East in general.
Ban ge ies Munitions for China A statement made recently in the House of Commons, by Mr, R. A. Butler, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, that Germany was still the largest supplier of arms and 5 e Government. has t in Shanghai. seems to have been believed by some Japanese that this trade had new ceased. That does not appear to be the case, as enquiries made by the "North-China Daily News" tend to show. A day or so ago it cabled its London correspondent in the following terms:
Important. Can you obtain confirmation Germany even now supplying munitions China? has since been received:— yours definitely yes stop Quantities uncertain stated extensive.
That should serve to assure those who believe the German trade in munitiosy with China has not yet been discontinued. The point is of importance, as Great Britain has been singled out for blame because of the assistance she has been giving the Chinese Government. She has of course been doing nothing incompatible with her neutrality in this present dispute, and has been well within her rights in doing what she has done. So also has Germany, but that country is a party to the Anti-Comintern Pact together with Japan. Japan is supposed to be fighting Communism against which the Pact is formulated, and yet Germany appears to doing nothing wrong in Japan's eyes, by supply-the {latier's opponent with the materials with which to prolong resistance. It is a singular state of affairs, which seems to suggest the establishment of a new principle, and that 's that it is not that which is done which is wrong, but the person who does it.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.