Evening star., 1932-02-25
STEPS BY LEAGUE
IN CHINA EXPECTED
Diplomatic Circles Here Are
Optimistic of March 3
Meeting.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

Washington diplomatic circles were
mc-e optimistic than usual today in
the belief that the meeting of the
League of Nations at Geneva on March
3 will result IN some active steps being
taken by that body to convince Japan
that whatever successes she may
achieve against the Chinese will prove
in the end fruitless, and that the
prosecution Of her present military
operation will result merely in loss Of
lives money and prestige.
Well informed quarters are inclined
30 think that the League Of Nations
will follow the footsteps of the Ameri-
can Government as expressed by Sec
retary Stimson in his note to Japan
on January Z, and will inform Japan
that the League will not recognize any
territorial conquest japan may sue
ceed in making in China.
The League really has been sum-
moned to decide on q boycott against
japan The principal powers. members
of that body, are, however opposed TO
such an action as being fraught with
too many dangers for the peace OF the
world; their economic interests, 1t Is
stated, would also suffer by the declara-
tion of the boycott and the economic
situation in the principal European
countries Is such that no nation can
afford to lose more trade than she al
ready has lost.
Fight Boycott Plan.
The British and the French govern
merts are at present doing their utmost
to convince the minor nations net to
vote in favor of boycott. The smaller
nations, members of the League, have
practically no trade with Japan, conse-
quently they will not suffer II boycott
is enforced On the other hand, they
are afraid that If the League does not
take any positive action against an
aggressor-and, in their minds, Japan
is an aggressor at the present moment
the sovereignty Of the small nations will
eventually be endangered. For this rea-
son all the small nations. including
those which are tied to France by alli-
ances, are reported to be in favor of
boycott. To this number must be added
the Nordic nations and the small East
ern nations such as Persia, Ethiopia and
many other smaller lights OF the
Leagues constellation.
Great Britain and France are at
present doing their utmost to dtssuade
these countries from demanding the
immediate application Of the boycott.
Both nations, according to reports
from Europe, are having difficult
time in convincing the minor powers
that a boycott Is unnecessary.
Seek tn Reassure Nations.
Great Britain and France have
naturally the greatest interest in main
tanning the faith Of the smaller ma
tions in the League. For that reason
they must do something which, while
giving the small nations confidence in
the efficacy of the League as a pro-
tector of the small nations, will not
force the great powers to take a
measure which may prove very harmful
to their economic interests.
Consequently Great Britain and
France contemplate proposing at the
meeting of March that Japan should
be informed that none Of her recent
territorial conquests can or will be
recognized by any member OF the
League of Nations.
In this manner, it is believed, the
Japanese government will be convinced
Of the futility of continuing her mill
tary adventure in China and the big
nations will not be forced to apply the
drastic boycott measure which is ex-
tremely unpopular in all industrial
countries.
Prepares for Huge War.
In the meantime Japan seems decided
on war to the bitter end. Military
preparations are being made for a war
on a large scale. The japanese ar
senals are working overtime, and the
raw materials necessary for war pur-
poses are being shipped into japan as
quickly as ships can bring them into
japanese ports
The Japanese navy yards are as active
as in war time. Japan is fastening the
completion of the two 8,500-ton cruisers
armed with 6-inch guns, one OF which
was laid on the eve Of the disarmament
truce of December /, 1881, and the
other soon after. 1t is reliably reported
they have laid the keelS Of two more
similar cruisers in the last two weeks.
According to authoritative informa-
tton, Japan is not breaking in any way
the naval truce agreed upon at Geneva
in November, 1881, because she has ac-
cepted that truce with the reservation
that she should be allowed to build
the necessary requirements so as to
bring her navy to the treaty standards
as accepted at the London Conference
by the time that treaty expires on jan
uary l, 1896. A delay in her naval pro-
gram, the japanese government con-
tends. would seriously impair her naval
status.