The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-03
JAPAN DODGINC
QUIZ ADROITLY,
CHINA'S CHARGE
NipponeSe Making Audaci-
GUS Bid for U. S. Sym
pathy, Writer Asserts.
BY HERBERT E. MOY
American Manager Of the KuO Min News
Agency of China.


Copyright. 1891. by scripps-Howard.l
NEW YORK, Nov. 3.-Japan's
adriot evasivenesS at Geneva scored
a major success. BY taking the Of
fensive and hurting accusations of
treaty violation sat China, the
Japanese were so successful in kick
ing up a cloud Of misunderstanding
that the real iSSue-JapaneSe mill
tary aggression in Manchuria-al-
most has been submerged.
Now the American public has be-
come the objective Of Japan's pro-
paganda of confusion and evasion.
In attempting to sell the Japan
csc policy to the American public,
Motoyama Hikoichi, speaking in his
unofficial capacity, but representing
the press opinion of his country, at
tempted a week ago to justify the
occupation of Manchuria by declar-
ing that since the United States has
a Monroe doctrine in the wect,
Japan we'll may adopt a similar
policy in Asia.
Toxic Claim Is RiddIed
In this fashion, the question of
whether or not Japan is guilty of
imperialiStic aggression has been
evaded by circumvention.
The swiftnesS and efficiency Of
the Japanese army in occupying
practically all the strategic posi-
tionS in South Manchuria in the
space of fourteen hours concluSively
diSproveS Tokio's claim that this
acton was taken in SeIf-defense. Tt
shows every evidence of an agrees
sive campaign planned long in adj
vance.
Japan refuses to permit a neutral
committee to investigate the al
legged Chinese destruction of Sec
lions of the South Manchurian
railway for fear that such an inves-
tigation will remove the main pre-
text for her illegal occupation of
Chinese territory.
1t must be remembered that the
very railway which the Chinese are
accused of destroying is the one the
japanese used to transport rein
forcements to various Manchurian
vantage points.
Won't Discuss Charge
Japan also claims continued vio-
lation of her treaty rights, but has
refrained assiduously from discus
sing this charge in detail. According
to the treaty of Portsmouth, Japan
received the right to station about
$500 soldiers in the South Man.
churian railway zone. but the Sino-
Japanese treaty of Peiping, signed
Dec. %, 1905, expressly provides
that in the event of Russia with
drawing her troops, Japan accord
ingly would withdraw her soldiers.
Since Russian troops long have
been withdrawn from Manchuria,
the presence Of any Japanese sold
iers, even in the South Manchurian
railway zone, is absolutely without
legal or treaty sanction.
AS for the Twenty One De-
mandS'' of 1915, China was forced
to sign that treaty under military
pressure by Japan. 1t never was
ratified by the then existing Chin
ese parliament. These treaties are
the only ones between China and
Japan which concern the present
Manchurian crisis.
That probably accounts for ia
pans unwillingness to submit these
treaties to the judgment of the
World Court, despite the fact that
the president of that estimable body
is a Japanese.
Americans, being a spirited peo-
pie, find it difficult to understand
why China has been content to
submit her case to the League of
Nations. This pacific attitude, in a
way, has alienated much American
sympathy for China. Japan chose
a most opportune moment for her
rape of Manchuria.
China Was Helpless
Following as it did upon the heels
of the greatest catastrophe in
modern history, China did not have
a chance to defend herself. The
tremendous task of providing relief
o the fifty million victims of the
floods that have ravaged the coun-
try has occupied all the attention
OF the Chinese government, and it
was totally unprepared to resist the
sudden japanese invasion.
Defensive troop movements from
the south would have been virtually
impossible, due to flood devastation.
There was no alternative but to
turn to the powers Of the world.
with the hope that they would exert
pressure upon Japan to compel the
respect for existing international
treaties on which rests not only the
hope OF peace in the Orient, but the
whole structure of world peace.
The issue is one in which Ameri-
can citizens have a more direct in