Evening star., 1931-12-20
JAPAN'S NEW MOVE
DISTURBING TO US.
UItimatum on ChinchoW Is
Held Breach of Recent
Promises.
CONTINUED From First Page.)

Continued From First Page.)
really mean to occupy the whole of
Manchuria, eventually would have to oc-
c,Ipy Chinchow. From the military
point OF view the occupation of that
railway knot Is considered Of great i'm
portance and the military experts could
not see how the japanese could stop at
the gates Of that important city if they
really intended to subject Manchuria
to the rule of the Japanese Empire.
Their warnings, however have been
unheeded by the diplomats. who dis
regarded the military point OF view,
stating tnat soldiers always are looking
for trouble. The solemn statements of
the Japanese diplomats were taken Sc
riously, and in an atmosphere of bliss
the political men who had undertaken
to settle the Japanese Chinese dispute
In Manchuria congratulated each other
that the japanese promise not to oc-
cupy ChinchoW could be relied upon
and the prestige Of the League and
validity Of the nine-power pact were
safeguarded.
The diplomats of this country, with
few exceptions did not actually think
that the Japanese would abandon the
hoped, however, that the Japanese
would be able to make certain ar
rangements with some of the Chinese
leaders to have the city handed TO
them in some way or another. In any
case they hoped that the occupation
Of ChinchoW would be made in peace
full manner. Diplomats are incorrigi-
BILE optimist. In spite of what had hap
pened since last October, they actually
believed that Japan did not wish to
haunt the public opinion of the world
and that they would take the neces-
sary steps to FIX up something with
the Chinese leaders so as to give an
appearance Of legality to the occupa-
ton of that important Manchurian
province.
Feeling Unpleasant.
Consequently the news that the jap
anese general staff had decided to use
the mailed fist produced an unpleas-
ant feeling in the State Department.
High officials are very reserved about
what the United States Government
will do when the Japanese actually oc-
cupy Chlnchow sometime in the course
OF the next fortnight The reason for
their silence is a good one: The United
States can do very little. although 1t
has made the question of the occupa-
ton Of that city an important issue by
the TACT that the American Ambassa-
dor at Toxic has repeatedly "solemnly"
warned the Japanese government
against such a breach of Its solemn
pledges" The most the administra-
tion can do in case the Japanese go
INTO Chnchow is not to recognize such
de facto" occupation and hope that
the pressure Of the world public opin-
ION would eventually force the Jana
nese government TO legalize their ac
ton by coming TO terms with the
Chinese.
There is a good deal Of speculation
IN diplomatic circles in Washington as
70 how the japanese government is 60
ing TO explain its action in that part
of China
When the japanese army started its
operations in Manchuria September II
the Toxic government had a fair aIibi
Chinese brigands had allegedly blown
up certain sections Of the southern
Manchurlan railways. When the jap
anese troops continued their march
northWard and occupied Tsitsihar, Am
bassador Debuchi explained that that
action was forced upon the japanese
because some railway bridges had been
blown up and the party of engineers
sent 70 repair them was attacked bv
the ChlneSe general. Nah. who disre-
garoeo an agreement the japanese con-
sui had made with the Chinese authori-
ties to allow the japanese engineers to
work.
Assured Withdrawal
Mr.. Debuchi assured Mr.. Stinson.
however, that as soon as the repair
work was completed the Japanese
troops and engineers would be with
orawn. He even went so far as to fore
cast that inside of fortnight the jap
anese troops would be out of the Tsit-
slhar district. In any case the Amer
lean Government and the members of
the League OF Nations Council were
willing to accept any alibi of the jap
anese government because, it was said
after all the japanese have important
economic and national interests in that
section OF Manchuria and it is only
natural that they should do their ut
m st to safeguard them.
But nobody can see what eXplana-
ton the japanese government can offer
for the occupation of Chinchow. The
railways which are passing through
that town are Chinese built and Chi
ne5e operated lines The Japanese
sphere of interest" never extended as
far as that city and the statement that
military operations are necessary to
insure the flanks OF the japanese Army
against attacks of organized bandits
are fatty denied by the neutral mill
tary observers who are at present in
the Chinchow area. No bandit or
ganizations or activities are reported
between Chinchow and the Chinese
wall The bandit activities which exist
at present on a small scale between
Chinchow and Mukden are efficiently
taken care of by the japanese troops.
Consequently there seems to be not
single plausible argument the Japa-
nese could bring forward to justify
their ultimatum to the Chinese to with
draw beyond the Chinese wall and
surrender the city of Chinchow to the
japanese Army unless it is the old
adage that might is right"