The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-10-14
The Advance of the Japanese
Army into Manchuria

placed by the Minseito government, at the head
of which today stands Baron Wakatsuki the
japanese bourgeosie and big landowners, mob
ilized the press in order to persuade the work
ing masses of Japan and China that the brutal,
reactionary and militarist methods of rule prac-
tiSed by Tanaka had given place to better"
democratic Liberal" regime. The two years that
have passed since then have, however, proved
that nothing has changed in the policy of Jap
anese imperialism towards the Japanese, the
Korean or the Chinese working masses.
The new" policy which was to restore the
sinking prestige of Japan in China has miseraby
failed. The United States, under whose influ-
ence the approchement between Marking and
Mukden was brought about, is rapidly penetrat-
ing Chinese and also Manchurian economy. The
"encirclement plan against the Southern Man
churian railway" with the aid of which Japan
exercised political influence and economically
penetrated Manchuria, realized by means of
American capital. Japan's influence in Man
churia has constantly declined since the day
Chang so-lin tried to escape the tutelage of
Tokyo. But Japanese imperialism cannot aban-
don its plans to conquer Manchuria. For Japan
the domination of Manchuria is absolutely ne
cessary as a source of materials for its
heavy industry as market for its industry and
its capital exports, and as market for its super
fluous population.
This explains also why in view of the in
creasing influence of its American rival Japan
could not abandon the 'reactonary- militarist"
methods of Tanaka but applied them still more
vigorously. Whilst the positive" policy of Ia
naka found such concrete expressions as the
military occupation of Shantung, the bloody
Japano- Chinese collision in Tsingtao, and the
dynamite outrage, carried out by Japanese sold
iers against the Manchurian ruler, Chang Tso-
lin, the two years imperialist activity of the
democratic" government has been no less rich
in Japano- Chinese incidents
One can call to mind the numerous protests
issued by Tokyo against the construction of new
Sino-American railways in Manchuria, by which
Japan's economic monopolist position was brok-
en-; the de jure recognition of the Canton gov
eminent by Tokyo (this is a manoeuvre against
the diplomacy of American Imperialism which
supports the Chang -Kai-shek government in
Nanking); the numerous revolts of the generals
instigated by Tokyo against Chang Hsue LANG,
who is allied with Marking.
Under the pressure of American Imperialism,
the attitude of China towards Japan has be-
come increasingly aggressive in the last few
months To every protest from Tokyo Nam
king duSWeTeu WIFI TWO counter prOteSC nOUeS.
The campaign for the abolition of extra terri
toriality also assumed the form of an economic
boycott of Japanese and English goods, as well
as actual attacks on Japanese subjects The eX-
tent Of the attacks on Japan became alarming.
Three particularly characteristic incidents occur
red, illustrating the growing completely of the
situation in Manchuria.
On June 81, Nakamura, a captain in the Jap
anese army, together with his companion was
taken prisoner and murdered by Chinese soldiers
in Manchuria Nekamura was travelling ION
secret mission" with false pass and in posses
sion of 100000 yen to Inner Mongolia, probably
in order to stir up revolt there against China
and the United States. Japan demanded salts
faction; Marking refused.
On July 2, there took place the "Wanpaoshan
incident" The alleged terrorizing of Korean
peasants by the Chinese population of Chang
chung was used by the Japanese as pretext for
organizing anti-C Chinese progroms in Korea, as
result of which 140 Chinese we're killed and l18
wounded On August 10, there occurred a third
incident in Tsingtao, when Chinese attacked 900
members of the reactionary Japanese "Kokus-
nikai Club" and killed rs Japanese
Japanese Imperialism felt itself seriously
threatened by these attacks against its oppres-
sive rule and political power in Manchuria. 1t
was clear that Japan would deliver counter
stroke, even If 1t thereby incurred the danger OF
an open conflict with the power behind the