Evening star., 1932-08-06
NEW TOXIC ATTACK.
I'm MANCHUR|A SEEN.
Defiance of League May Pre-
cede Offensive in Border
Province.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.


japanese military activities in China, a
lull compared by we'll informed OBJ
servers to that preceding last Winters
Chinchow incident and the Shanghai
operations.
Despite this apparent quiet those
conversant with the Far Eastern affairs
are bracing themselves for new sur
prises from the japanese government
The situation for the moment is as
follows:
The Chinese are fomenting trouble
in Manchuria by supplying with arms
and ammunition the subjects of the
ruler of the Manchukuo State, Henry
Pu-Yi
The japanese are proceeding with a
systematic bombing of the Jehol Prov
ince. which is still under the jurisdiction
OF the Chinese government. japanese
troops are being massed at the borders
of that province with the object OF
penetrating in force and occupying that
province, which forms the natural
boundary between Manchuria and
China proper.
May Defy Treaties.
The Japanese government is pre-
pared, according to reliable reports. tC
recognize the Manchukuo state, in def
ance of all international treaties
Whether this recognition will occur
when the commission presided over by
Lord Lytton makes It's report to the
League of Nations or before that is un-
certain. 1t is an open secret, however
that the Investigation Commission
which has finished its work recently
has come to the conclusion that thu
japanese action in Msnchuria last Sep.
tember is without any possible justifl.
cation.
Whether the japanese will wait fol
the report to be made public OF
will recognize Manchuko before the
publication of the report, thus
placing the world before an accom-
plished fact, is matter of speculation
1t is believed. however. in unusually
we'll informed quarters that the Japa
nese will not wait for the publication
of the report
The Japanese authorities are forcing
the puppet government of ManchukuC
to proceed drastically against foreign
business interests in Manchuria. Al
kind of hanoicaps are rut in the way
of foreign and especially American bus
ineSs men by the Manchukuo authori.
ties. They have to pay special taxes
heavy license fees. the extra-territoria
rights are disregarded and will be soor
abolished. In short, the japanese ART
adopting towards the foreign interest
in Manchuria the same attitude they
have been adopting in Korea for the
much less liberal attitude than In Japar
proper.
Occupation Means Crisis
All this brings the situation in the
Far East to a new crisis The Japanese
occupation of Jehol will be interpreted
as a new breach of the nine power pact
signed in Washington in 1922.
The recognition of the Manchukuo
state means another breach of the four
power pact. signed in Washington al
the same time as the nine-poWer pact
Finally the difficulties put in the way
of the American business men in Man
churia are a fragrant breach of the ira
ditional open-door policy inaugurated by
Secretary Hay in 1892 and reafirmed
by Secretary Stimson in his note tC
Japan on January 7, this year.
In view of these complications, which
loom In the near future. the question is
whether the American Government will
take eny steps to warn Japan against
her aggressive policy Of complete disre-
gard of all international treaties OF
whether it will wait and see what action
the League Of Nations contemplates
taking.
The position of the American Gov
eminent is not easy. To allow Japar
to proceed, according to plan" anc
disnenber China in spite of the Wash.
ington treaties will be interpreted b.
the people in the Far East as a Sigr
of extreme weakness and is likely t
cause not only a loss of prestige, but
eventually a loss of trade In the Eas
trade end prestige go hand in hand, anc
no nation which has lost face can ex
pect to keep up its trade balance.
United States May Protest
Consequently it would seem indicated
that the State Department may agaiI
make a strong official protest as soor
as Japan makes the next move. On tht
other hand, Americas protest alon,
without the support of other countries
may prove futile. 1t may draw an ag
gressive answer from Japan, an answe
which by necessity will remain ignored
and would thus be interpreted as a sigI
Of weakness and have the same result
ss far as China is concerned as If tn,
Government of this country had no
protested at all.
The third possibility is that the othe,
nations, members of the League Of
Nations. may join America again, a.
Was the case last January, and col
laborate with the United States in it!
attempt to bring the Japanese to re.
spect the various treaties and pact.
they have signed in the last 10 years
In many official quarters the belle
is that the nations of the worlc
genuinely interested in peace will no
fail the United States and will joir
this country in any move she may make
for the maintenance Of interratiCna
treaties. The very fact that Britain
and France have adhered to the note
sent last Wednesday night to Bolivia
and Peru is interpreted In off1cia
circles as a definite proof that botf
these European powers will be with
this country when new crisis develops
in the Far East.
Legal Prestige at Stake.
The official opinion is that the real
motive as to why the European powers
are likely to take again an active in
terest IN the Far East is the fact that
any Haunting of the decisions Of the
League Or Of the treaties by Japan
would weaken considerably the League
of Nations, and this the Euro
psans. and especially France and
Great Britain. cannot afford. Conse-
quently administration officials and