The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-05
BY KARL RADEK

The first wave of the Chinese revo-
luton has shaken the ranks of world
Imperialism. 1t has revealed the ext
stence of profound antagonistic inter
ests among the imperialist powers. OF
these we will only mention the most
important. British. and Japanese imper-
ialism are defending the positions
they have captured and the rights
they have acquired American i'm
perialism, on the other hand, which
before the world war had relatively
insignificant interests in China, is now
following an uninterrupted upward
line of development 1t is now be-
ginning to penetrate economically in
to China and can therefore, far more
than the English and Japanese, rely
upon the growing force of its econo-
mic powers. The simple fact that Jap
anese goods cannot compete with
American goods in quality and in
price, the simple fact that the extent
of the capital, which is decreasing
with every year, that England can in
vest abroad, renders her incapable
of successfully competing with the
/ United States-these facts show how
different is the situation of these two
main groups of world Imperialism.
AS regard the other imperialist
powers, as for instance France and
Italy, they consider their positions in
the Chinese struggle as objects of
exchange in their European affairs.
The Germans who by the Versailles
Treaty have lost their extra-territorial
rights, display a certain amount OF
malicious joy. They make virtue
of necessity and make use of the po-
sition forced upon them by the Yer
sailles Treaty to extend the influence.
But even among those powers who
have the greatest interest in main
tanning the status quo-England and
Japan-one cannot speak of unity of
aims and unity of tactics. The Eng
lish press, with the Times" and the
Daily Telegraph" at the head, is at
tempting to pust Japan into the fore
front as regards the defense of all
the robber privileges which imperial
ism has wrung from China. The
Times" of July 6, published a long
article under the title Japan and
China" which attempts to prove that
here it is a question of life and
death for Japan. In this article the
whole Chinese revolution is represent
ed as a Russian threat against Japan.
1T is not the hostility of the Boil
sheviki to England with which Japan
must reckon but the growth Of Rus
sian influence in China"
In what manner does the growth of
this influence threaten Japan?
First. it threatens Japan's military
security; second, it threatens Japan S
attempts to transplant her surplus
population to China. Experience has
shown that Manchuria and Korea are
not capable of supporting this surplus
population; third, Japan needs Chin
csc cotton, coal and iron. A third
of Japan's exports go to China. The
Chinese market is the most import
ant one for Japan, as access to it is
not made difficult thru customs duties.
These are the arguments of the
Times" which, in the opinion of
this organ of English imperialism,
must compel Japan to become the
chief champion of the imperialist in
terests in China
The Daily Telegraph" which sings
the same tune, even went so far as
to claim that there existed a danger
of war between Japan and America,
should America support the Chinese
demands. The Americans, when they
read this article, probably laughed
In their sleeves at the idea that hon.
est John Bull is now attempting to
compel Japan, whom only three years
ago he betrayed in Washington at
the first demand of the United States,
to fetch the chestnuts out of the fire
for England. OF course, at present
a apanese-American war is impos-
| SlDle IOr the simple reason, JnaC Jap
an, who has been weakened by the
earthquakes and is dependent upon
American credits, is incapable of car
rying on war. But even regarded
from the standpoint of future develop
ment We must '-'~ Has Japan any
interest in being unv champion of
English interests in China?
We doubt very much whether the
more or less farseeing Japanese poll
ticians view the situation in China
with the eyes of the Times" AS re-
CARDS Japanese security, there exist
not the least doubt that the Chinese
revolution which has aroused the
masses of the Chinese people and
which has filed the Chinese troops
with new spirit, is decidedly chang
ing the relations of power in the
East. Japan must decide: With
China or against China. Should Jap
an decide to go hand in hand with
| orsa