Evening star., 1932-01-28
Japan'S Demands on China.

JapanS demands on Chlha.
Lsst-minute acceptance by China
of Japan's demands has relieved the
tension felt at Shanghai and probably
has prevented an armed clash, the
effects Of which might conceivably
have Immediately caused a grave in
ternational complication. That the
danger is not altogether past, how
ever, appears from a dispatch received
this morning to the effect that Japan
has imposed additional demands, re-
sponse to which has not been forth
coming.
AS this situation develops the QueS-
ton arises whether the entire interna-
tional picture has been revealed. Japan
has been quite frank throughout the
Manchurian incident, which appears
at this moment to have been closed, y
so far as China is concerned, and, as
sumlng the guarantee of the open door
policy for freedom Of trade, the other
powers as well. Japan is in possession
Of Manchuria and is engaged in the
DEVELOPMENT Of government there
through the agency Of Chinese-Man-
chu provincial organizations. If that
were all in the case there would be
no concern. whatever the feelings at
Geneva or at other capitals respecting
the manner in which treaty obligations
and responsibilities may have been
ignored and eyaded.
But the institution of veritable
campaign Of threats against China
based upon the maintenance of a boy
colt against japanese goods by a
Chinese semi official organization is
quite another matter. At the moment
tension has been relieved through the
acceptance at the very last hour of the
conditions recently imposed by Toxic
upon the Marking government. Those
demands had been enlarged shortly be-
fore the expiration of the period speci-
fed by insistence upon punishment Of
the Chinese who attacked some jap
anese monks January 18, upon a pay
ment Of indemnity for the attack and
an expression of apology; also that the
Chinese authorities put an end to anti
Japanese activities in Shanghai, the
dissolution of the anti-Japanese So
cieties sponsoring the boycott and the
withdrawal of the Chinese troops, num-
bering some 1000, located near Shang-
t-1s = Ie ilyAvT Tvice
accepted.
Then close upon the conclusion Of
these negotiations" came additional
demands, that all Japanese goods
seized during the boycott be imme-
diately released and also that Chinese
merchants who had been imprisoned by
the anti-Japanese societies be freed.
The suggestion is quite clearly con-
veyed that Japan is forcing an issue,
through these successfully severe re-
quirementS. If that is the case the
implication is inevitable that Japan is
seeking to force a cause Of conflict.
1t is to be hoped that this is not the
case. For If 1t is Japans purpose to
press her demands upon China to the
point at which surrender is no longer
possible short Of complete abdication Of
authority, it would seem to be assured
that the real objective of this present
campaign of pressure is to force a
conflict.
The powers represented at Shanghai
In the maintenance Of the International
Settlement will naturally not agree to
such a program. There is another fac
tor in the case. An additional area of
non-Chinese authority exists in that
city, styled the French Concession"
The question arises whether France is
whole -heartedly in sympathy with the
powers which control the Settlement"
in their resiStance-thus far merely
diplomatic-of Japan's acts of aggres-
sion on the mainland Of China. In the
answer to that question may lie the
answer to the larger and graver queS-
ton Of whether Japan, not content with
the seizure Of Manchuria to which the
powers have in effect reluctantly as
sented as an accomplished fact
with some measure of Justification is
now bent upon conquest in China
proper, with some arrangement secretly
made in advance which will divide the
European powers and, if successful, di-
vide China into zones Of influence.