Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-17
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
: /. C. M.

M. A, Ph.D. Baltimore: The Johns
Hopkins Press.
The newspaper serves as index of de-
sirable current studies wider in scope,
deeper in probe, than it's own estab-
lished purpose of news reporting can
permit.
An immediate case in point, among
many, is Manchuria. Every day 'front.'
page headlines advertise fighting in
that region between China and Japan.
And this, despite the great war to end
war. Despite a Peace League, en-
shrined, at Geneva.
Where is Manchuria? What is it?
What has it that China possesses, that
Japan wants, that Russia shifts around,
proving and DESTROYS?
= * *
C. Walter Young is a university man
three times over. Northwestern, Min
nesota, Johns Hopkins. A career of in
tensive study that might, easily, have
encased the man in a coat of academic
ice. Happily, it had no such effect.
Instead, 1t appears to have whitfield
him to keen eoge of curiosity in re-
spect to the Far East. Curiosity toward
the essential foundations of current
Oriental life within a certain zone. To-
ward the political structure rising out
of its own beginnings, rising out Of the
viclssitudeS of time and circumstance
and change.
And so Dr. Young went to Man
churia. Five times, from 1928 forward,
he made resident studies there. These
studies are now embodied in three vol
umes OF political science derived from
the present and the immediate past Of
that region. The book in hand is the
first The third one is left open, so to
speak in welcome to a fourth, issue of
another period OF study, undertaken as
representative for the Far East of the
Institute OF Current World Affairs, New
York.
Sounds heavy, doesn't it? A shade
too erudite for the newspaper reader
seeking direction along the road of
worthwhile study. But it is not heavy.
AS delighted rs surprised are we to
md ourselves in the midst of live stuff,
human stuff, making its way, cris-cross
and roundabout, much as man has had
70 DO since he set up in the big bust
ness OF being human at all.
The average students first encourage
ment to go ahead here is that this
study is not history. That helps. His
tory is too far away, too dead Better
ntted to the meditations of philoSophic
saVant than to the current uses of the
majority Now and then DR.. Young
does turn on f1ashlight out of the
past for special illumination and
again.
Instead of digging up an immemorial
past, he does something like this :
LOOKS Manchuria over to see what the
great turmoil Of occupation, of possess
sion even, can be about. Finds, under
ground, iron, coal, oil and other min
erals. Upon the surface, soil and eli
nate, Timber growths and waterways
Potentlals, these, of food and furnish
lngs, OF shelter and clothing A largesse
Oh natures fecundity for the use Of
needy millions. Land or great economic
resource. A region to invite enterprise
-industry, business. To call out COM
petition and exploitation, twin sup
porterS OF material success. Right here
politics steps in. That system of sharp
practice, of juggling for positions of
advantage. Time was when, oratorically
speaking, politics was founded upon
principles. Not any more. For In every
neiq sharp practice Is ITS stamp, its
mode OF action. Therefore, natural re-
sources In the hands of enterprise and
politics took pcsseSsion-in large part
TOOK marauding and illegal possession
OF Manchuria
And when the matter grew big enough
ana pressing enough to invite attention
OF national scope, then diplomacy took
nand. The law of nations was sum-
moned, international agreements" be-
came the order Of the hour.
Diplomacy, too, like business and
politics, has its system of sharp prac-
tlce. Beneath the suave and elaborate
ceremonials OF public accommodation
are secret understandings" private
"ententeS" and the like.
The prime working instrument Of
diplomacy Is the treaty" And so
Japan secured a treaty with China BY
way OF whose provisions that amazing
islander could build railway through
certain districts of Manchuria. This
road would insure fine carrying trade
A truly consummating force in more
than one far-fiung plan for Japanese
expansion. And the road was built,
But In all dealings among men the
human element is paramount. Right
here that element was very human and
clearly paramount. Not so many wears
before Japan had, without truth, tram
pied the sleeping yellow dragon, to its
pain and unforgetting. The bruises of
that rough-shod passage had grown to
open sores that literally walked the
sleeper into life, remembering and re-
sentful. And not so long before that
this Lilliputian Nipponese warrior had
Beaten the Russian bear back into its
den, growing with pain and hatred.
on, no. there was no welcoming cele-
bration for Japan's entrance to any
part OF China. And "Manchuria is an
reminds his readers.
Japanese workmen were sent to build
the Manchurian railroad. There they
came in contact with Chinese labcrers
And, just as 1t is the world over. SO Il
was here. Ill feeling and enmitv run
deeper with the ignorant than with the
more fortunate, the better schooled and
trained. Indeed, it is the poplllace
that supports strife, to its own ultimate
undoing. However, over in Manchlria
along That railway line, rancor moved
INTO action with frequent clashes and,
finally, with armed conflict. Protesta-
tionS upon one side ana the other nm
ming to the tune of treaty violations"
involved the authorities and moved
gradually toward the status of war it.
self. And the Peace League" is in
voked to justify this side and that Or
at least, to construe the action of both
governments as within the law of
nations, within the peace program of
the league.
Here is most unscholarly sketch of
profound and scholarly series of hooks
on the subject of political science, based
as political science must be upon eco
Monies, trade. domestic law, interna-
tional jurisdictions and SO on.
But you see. We, the majority, are
not students. Yet it is important. in
deed VITAL that average readers should
know what all the fighting is about"
since we, the people, have, in the long
run, to bear the brunt of the slaughter
ing that goes on, seemingly without
in pride, civilized itself to a SURPRISING
measure of high intent and universal
good will. What makes war? What Is
making that war over in Manchuria?
What are the forces behind it? It is