July 2
'The announcement that Germany, Italy and Rumania have decided to recognize the Government at' Nanking as from July 1 means that the Axis Powers have taken step which Japan had every reason to expect! would have been taken Long before this. The device is an obvious one. The sudden attack by Germany upon Russia, the breaching of] the Russo-German non-aggression pact in that manner, has aroused very considerable concern in Tokyo, and during the past week many conferences have been held by the Japanese Government to consider its policy in view of the great change which has been brought about by Hitler's treachery. There can be little doubt that great anxiety development, and no small amount of question as to the sincerity of Hitler with regard to his relationships with the Japanese Government. This belated recognition coming as it does at such a moment, is clearly designed to allay Japanese anxieties, and it) is but another piece of trickery, It Is not to be assumed that Hitler is] animated by any greater degree of sincerity' towards Tokyo than he has been with regard to other countries, To believe that he would honour his commitments to Japan is to believe something which every act of his since he came into power proves not to be! true, and if there are any in Tokyo who fancy that this last-hour recognition can be accepted as evidence of German bona fides they will in the long run find themselves idly disillusioned, The attitude of Germany and Italy towards the Sino-Japanese conflict has been equivocal throughout. When hostilities first broke out, German experts were assisting the armies on the National Government. Following Japanese representations these were eventually withdrawn, though the Germans maintained diplomatic relations with Chiang Kai-shek's Govern ment, When there was " change in the Italian diplomatic representation in China a new ambassador was appointed who since his arrival in this country has presented his credentials to no one, There has been throughout the past four years an endeavour on the part of these two Mmombers of the Tri-Partite Pact to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds, chiefly because they were by no means sure of what would be the ultimate outcome of the struggle, and because they wished to avoid any step which might at some later stage create embarrassment, The conclusion to be drawn is that they delayed making any definite stop until the last possible moment, and it is quite apparent that this declaration of the recognition of the Nanking Government, coming as it docs at a time such as this, is no more than a sop offered to Japan, putting up a pretence of solidarity with her, which the German invasion of Russia clearly shows does not and never can exist. Tt.must be apparent that Japan plays a very secondary role in Hitler's eyes. If not why was Tokyo not informed of his intention to invade Russia? Why was an equal member of the Tri-Partite Pact so completely and so humiliatingly ignored?
The emptiness of the gesture is the clearest possible indication of the insincerity with which it has been made. Neither Germany nor Ttaly can lose anything by making it, for they have no interests capable of advance ment in China because of their complete Isolation from the Asiatic continent. They are making no sacrifice in Japan's favour because they have nothing to sacrifice. It is to be believed that the.realists in Japan will accept that view. If recognition such as is! now declared could have been worth any= thing at all it would most certainly been valuable if it had come earller. This belated demonstration of a solidarity which has been 80 rudely shaken by the treachery of Hitler will it is hoped convince no, one in Japan. The moderate elements are coming to understand that no-reliance can be placed in Hitler or his policies. There is still much in the old saying Timeo Dandos et dona ferences, The recognition of the Nanking Government is indeed a very small gift, a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.