As was to be expected the speech, which Sir Robert Craigie, British Ambassador to Japan, made recently in Tokyo, has raised considerable criticism, not only from Liberal opinion in Britain, but also amongst the isolationists in the United States. That ism is based upon purely doctrinaire considerations, and fails completely to take into full account the realities of the situation. Thus there is glib talk of Britain preparing to put over a Far Eastern Munich, on the Part of those who condemned Mr. Chamberlain for making that pact with Herr Hitler endeavour to save the peace of Europe, and likewise condemned him when developments between Germany and Poland forced him to take up arms in the honouring. of his government's commitments to the Poles. There is, unfortunately, a type of opinion in some countries which' holds to the idea that it does not matter what policy Great Britain follows: it must always be wrong. Sir Robert Craigie in kis speech declared that there was room for satistaction in the thought that the innate good sense of the two nations, reflected in the wisdom of their Governments, which had prevented animosities of the moment from hardening into deep-seated resentments or permanent estrangements. It is a fortunate thing that, prior to the commencement of the European war, British policy took a realistic line which prevented the diplomatic situa tion in the Far East, already in a serious condition, from further deteriorating. Instead many diMeult corners have been turned and some thorny problems disposed of, and better understanding effected between two nations which ought never to have become estranged to the degree that they did. The comment of the "News Chronicle" is by no means convincing. Mr. Winston Churchill in broadcast speech on Saturday puts the situation much better.
"At the outbreak of war," he said, "we did know that Italy would not be our enemy. We could not be sure that Japan would not also be our enemy. Many people had hopes that Russia would recuter the comity of nations and help shield the working folk all over the world, from Nazi aggression. How-fever none of these things, good or bad, has happened, We have no "quarrel with' the Mahan or Japanese people, We have tried and shall try our best to live on good terms with them.
A clearer endorsement of Sir Robert's address in Tokyo, from so important a member of the British Government could not be desired, and it affords ample and_ satis factory' evidence that the British Government is viewing its policy with complete realism, facing the very apparent facts of highly complex situation, There are some people who appear to believe that having resorted to war against the Nazis, as if that itself were not enough, it is the bounden duty of Great Britain to go round with a chip on its shoulder inviting trouble from all comers. It may be safely assumed that its French Ally would regard any such policy with the gravest possible alarm, realizing as it must that the first duty the Allies have before them is to defeat the Nazis. That obviously cannot be done if the Allies are to disperse their concentrations in various parts of the world, and seck to create new problems, all the more difficult of solution Because of present preoccupations. In con= sidering developments in the Far East it has always (o be remembered that when the European war has been fought by the Allies to that successful conclusion for which they confidently hope, there will be an opportun= ity for endeavouring to settle problems in all parts of the world. That, however, will bbe impossible if, in the meantime, present resentments are stimulated and fostered. Whatever opinions may be held as to the propriety of the Japanese adventure into China and its ultimate outcome, there can be no gainsaying the fact that a strong Japan is essential to the peace and wellbeing of the Far East, where developments Europe clearly show Russia still remains the predominant peril. Let there be no mistake about it: Japan is the present bulwark against the spread of Communism in the Far East.
Japan engaged with any other great Power in warfare would be in no position to thwart the very apparent designs which the Soviet has consistently had upon the For East. The imperialistic aims of the Soviet would comparatively easily find ful-Ailment, and the world would see a vast Nazi-Communistic hegemony stretching from the North Sea to embrace the whole of Asia. Seeing that now there is so little difference between the two ideologies that they are in fact one and the same, it would amount to the most serious blow the civilization of the world could possibly suffer. It is to avert such a dread possibility that the only policies which can be followed with any degree of safety are policies of realism, in which the bare and ugly facts are faced, and every precaution taken against any such developments as are clearly possible, and in certain events undoubtedly probable. There nothing in what Sir Robert or Mr. Churchill said to justify the beliefs that any such sacrifice as that made at Munich is being contemplated by the British Government. That Idea appears to prevail in the minds of those who are so complacently certain that they and they alone fully understand the duty of Great Britain. The whole world situation demands that very long-sighted views should be taken even of the nearest developments. The problems with which the world is faced are not capable of ready-made solutions, and the way to deal with them demands the utmost care and caution. Those who favour the maintenance of an unstable atmosphere in the Far East, and oppose attempts to reach better understandings, whether they realize it or not, are supporting policies which can only lead to disaster, the disaster of the spread of the world revoltion upon which the Bolsheviks still set their hearts. Remedies for existing evils are not. to be found in exacerbating past and present resentments, and it is only a policy, which is designed to'maintain as complete an under= standing all round as possible, which is all likely to avert the very real danger set out above.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.