Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-13
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

Two important battles are raging al
military battle between the japanese
troops and the we'll organized troops
of Gen. Nah Chan Shan for the posses
sion Of Tsitsihar. The othet is a
political battle between the well-mean-
ing japanese foreign office and the
general staff for a peaceful settlement
OF the Sino-Japanese dispute.
The Japanese government has been
compelled by the growing Nationalist
sentiment in their country to back
automatically the actions Of the mill
tary in Manchuria To do otherwise
would be to imperil its political ex-
istence. After having done this and
adopted an intransigent attitude regard
ing the withdrawal Of the Japanese
troops from Manchuria, the government
of Premier Wakatsuki Is now endeavor-
ing by diplomatic action to obtain an
advantageous settlement of the whole
Manchurian question by keeping on
friendly terms with the League Of
Nations and the United States. This
can be done only II, at least on the
surface. the prestige Of the League and
OF the Kellogg pact can be saved. That
is to say. II the Japanese agree to dis
cuss their grievances regarding Man.
churia with China. without giving the
impression that they are forcing a set
tlement by holding pistol at China's
head
Sentiment Favors Japan.
In spite OF Japan's defiant attitude
toward the League, it appears that pub
Tic opinion in Europe is in sympathy
with the Japanese. 1t also appears
that although the Leagues wishes seem
to have been Haunted by Japan, most
OF the important governments con-
cerned with the Manchurian dispute,
agree that there is good deal to say
In favor Of Japan's action in Man
churia and that the Council of the
League has acted for sentimental rea-
sons somewhat hastily in ordering
Japan to clear out OF Manchuri@ be-
Tore November 16. The members of
the Council who agreed to send that
"ultimatum" to Japan have given proof
OF deplorable lack of knowledge Of
japanese psychology The Japanese
are nationalist nation and intensely
proud of their history and their pres
tige. Furthermore they put their army
on higher pedestal than any other
nation in the world To imagine that
the japanese government would be able
to disregard the national feeling of the
| country In order to enable the League
to show that 1t is a powerful body was
In the opinion Of diplomats who know
japan well, a fatal mistake.
The outside world which Is an inter-
ested spectator of the struggle which is
going on in Manchuria now feels that
while the methods adopted by the Japa-
nese in dealing with the Chinese are
high-handed, all the same, there is a
good deal to be said on the side of the
Japanese. The action of the japanese
army has been the result of long series
OF vexations which the Japanese have
had to suffer from the Chinese authori-
ties and the Chinese bandits in Man
churia.
The Japanese in the eyes Of the
civilized world represent law and order
in the Far East and consequently ths
popular feeling, especially in Europe,
Is that due consideration should be
given to the actual facts which have
been precursory Of the action of the
japanese army,.and Japan should not
be judged merely in the light of what
has happened since September II. when
their armies started military operations
against the Chinese.
Meeting Held Important
The japanese government. aware of
this growing sentiment of the rest of
the world, ID reported to wish to find
solution which. while helping the
League of Nations to save its face.
would not In any way be interpreted in
Japan as q betrayal of that countrys
national interests. For this reason the
meeting of the Leagues Council on
November Is Is expected by all the ma
tions which desire peaceful settlement
OF the Manchurian question to be OF
momentous importance. ...s
The presence Of the British foreign
secretary. Sir John Simon. at the table
OF the Council and that of Gen. Dawes
as an observer outside the Council
but always handy for consultation"
adds increased Importance to the meet
ing. Both these men are going to the
meeting imbued with the desire OF
obtaining settlement. They are
known to be unprecedented and to be
ready to handle. the whole matter from
a purely factua1 point Of viewI Should
the Chinese and the Japanese agree to
settle their dispute In an amicable way
Sir John Simon and Ambassador Dawes
will be handy to act as impartial arbi-
tiers whenever necessary.
Not that anybody expects that Japan
will be willing to submit the Man
churian Question to arbitration. Much
as the Japanese foreign office would