Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-01
Manchuria, Asia's Tinderbox

wanted quick profits; the Chinese were
content to earn q livelihood. The Japa-
neSe wanted bright. attractive dwellings:
the Chinese lived huddled ON top of one
another in shanties. The Japanese chung
to their daily bath. above all, they chung
to the love Of appearances. that great
strength and weakness of their nation,
character. while the Chinese continued
TO live and work like slaves. their only
hope a dim and distant future.
Moreover. great numbers Of Japa-
neSe were overcome with nostalgia: In
the dreary yellow plains OF Manchuri,
inconsistencies for their cheerful Japa-
nese landscapes soon became physical
illness. There Is no doubt indeed but
that the psychological and esthetic
mpressions-essentia with people so
work against the rise Of popular lore
for Manchuria.
japanese Proud OF Dairen.
For instance, the japanese are very
proud OF Dairen, the spotless town,
which technically and commercially Is
the masterpiece Of Japan In Manchurtws
but Dairen has no place in the heerr.
Of the Japanese. They are proud or =
as of an American achievement. But.
they say with sight lacks tamashi.
Quisite Japanese word which means
more or less heart and soul. How can
q modern town with no old temples and
no centennial trees have any tamashi?
Moreover, o recent experience has
taught the Japanese merchants IN
Manchuria (since practically speaking
there are no more Japanese farmersl
lesson. mean the consequences Of the
Shantung operation in 1928. In May,
1000 TmS1 IA eTgtY1An
the capital OF Shantung, TO protect"
her colony there. just as she has now
sent them to various parts OF -: -
churia Then, as now, she did so IN
defiance Of Markings protests. But
her action was not unreasonable, IS
probably it is not unreasonable now, in
view Of the lawless state OF the country
and of the fact that the Nationalist
Chinese troops were the aggressors, IS
it is not impossible that they have
been now. mo inquiry o. any LEAGUE
Of Nations win ever be able TO find out
the truth. For example, whsA mpor-
lance should be given TO recent
speeches and tracts from young
Chinese officers telling their men that,
as the Japanese soldiers for many
years had had no practice in actual
such practice in their tnnumerable
civil wars, the Chinese could easily de-
feat the japanese. Impudent and
foolish vanity, or dangerous provoca-
ton? It Is impossible to say.
But what did the Japanese gain by
remaining for more than year In
control Of Tsinan and of the railway
to Tsingtau? Simply this: The Chinese
organized q widespread boycott which
lasted for q long period and inflicted
tremendous losses on Japanese trade.
Perhaps the leaders Of the military
party in Japan are too lofty to deign
to take into account the sufferings
endured directly or indirectly by the
japanese during the last two or three
years Of China's commercial hostility:
but their humber compatriots who
know that their living depends on the
good win Of their Chinese customers
have not forgotten. The civilians IN
Japan have learned, even II the
that 1t does not pay to shoot their
best customers.
Chinese Change Little.
Far from me to assert that the
Chinese politicians are right In start
ing struggle which can only be won
by generations of discipline and
national union. Their infiammatory
speeches against the dwarf slaves
Bourbons, the Chinese government, be
1t monarchical or republican, has
learned nothing and forgotten nothing.
But, on the other hand, more than
one fact has come to my knowledge
which obliges me TO admit that the
heads Of the military party In Japan
have been only too glad to grasp an
opportunity, pretense TO start mili-
taristtc adventure, and that nothing has
nlAn&Gd fhAYAa &aN<
tons OF the Marking leaders and the
foolish, arrogant talk Of some returned
students. The Japanese military party
Is evidently looking for an occasion 70
intoxicate once more the Japanese ma
ton, which otherwise might detach
itself more and more from the old
myths upon which the empire has been
built.
Political Motive Seen.
II some day we are forced 10 admit
that o real danger OF war exists ii
Japan, this much we will know: That
1t Is not spirit Of war for the sake
Of the fatherland, but . daring ut.
tempt to stop the growing movement Of
the Japanese masses toward q regime
OF democracy and of social justice. We
also shall know that this action Of q
party, in spite of their bombastic patri-
otto words, will be crime against the
permanent. supreme interests of Japan.
1t Is impossible to win China through
fighting. China is like gigantic rub
Der ball-she undergoes all the pres
sures, all the shocks. But as soon as
the pressure relaxes the rubber ball &C
once returns to It's previous form.
have already told In q recent book
OF mine q typical example Of the as
founding Chinese certainties Tt was
In Japan in the last years Of the Man
chu dynasty. While we were walking
together on the Japanese beach OF
the famous exile Kang
Yu-wei told me: II almost hope that
these little Nippons (and how full Of
contempt his words were) are going 20
conquer my China, to destroy the rotten
Manchu dynasty and put in its place
their own Emperor He viii settle In
the Forbidden City, he will oficiate &C
the temple Of heaven--and IL win look
like a sacrilege. But in two or three
generations his sons and all his Japan
csc will become Chinese and win be
proud of being Chinese"
CALoe. A--s.r0w.r