Evening star., 1932-01-31
British Opinion Shocked
By Aggression on China
BY A. G. GARDINER.

! LONDON January 30-The startling
development Of events in Shanghai has
shocked the public mind here and ere
ated a profound revulsion of feeling in
regard TO the intentions of Japan.
/ Hitherto there has been disposition
in some quarters. While recognizing the
indefensibility Of Japans invasion of
Manchuria in view of her treaties, to
admit grounds Of prOvocation; but the
sudden and challenging attack on Shang-
hal has been taken to indicate a far
more serious and sinister motive which
threatens incalCulable possibilities.
On the eve of the meeting Of the
lOng-deferred Disarmament Conference
the world is confronted with menace
as grave as that Of July, 1914. At
temptS to represent the action of Japan
at Shanghai as equivalent to the action
of the powers in Shanghai in 1927 are
merely derisory. The action then was
in common and entirely precautionary,
while this undisguised act of war is as
/ indefensible and provocative, in view
of the Chinese acceptance Of Japan's
! terms. as AuStriaS ultimatum after
/ Serbias acceptance Of her terms.
Apart from the Rothmere and Bea-
verbroOk newspapers. which throughout
have been protagonists of Japan. the
English press is unanimous in its de-
/ nunCiatiOn of this latest outrage, which,
apart from any moral question gTavelv
imperils the foreign population of the
International Settlement. The settle
ment contains a million Chinese who. if
not held in check, are unlikely to dis
I criminate between one race and an
other.
Emphasis is laid on the fact that the
British interests in Shanghai are far
greater than those of the japanese. and
it is pointed out that if the boycott of
( Japanese goods is held to justify Japa-
nese occupation Of Shanghai, it must
/ equally justify unlimited japanese in
| vasion of China.
DR.. w. w. Yens appeal on behalf of
China to the League Of Nations Council
to invoke the powers of the covenant
are not expected to have any effect. the
| nervelesS action ofjthe League through
out the Manchurian crisis having de-
/ stroyed confidence in that vehicle OF
| action. Moreover. the removal of Aris-
| tide BRAND from the French foreign
Office adds to the difficulties of the
League Council and to the disquiet in
| regard to the French attitude on the
]
! by significant statement in the Lon
don Times from its Washington corre-
| Spondent, who says The assumption
| prevails in responsible circles in Wash
/ ingtOn that some form of understanding
/ exists and has existed for years between
the French and Japanese governments
! of a sort which may make the aSsocia-
| ton Of France with the United States
! and Britain in any move independent of
| the League of Nations a source of con-
| fusion greater even than prevails to-
! day"
This goes far to explain the paraly-
sis Of the League in the presence Of the
unprecedented challenge and what the
| New Statesman calls the complaisance
of the British foreign office in the Man
! churian affair. Can that cOmplaisance
be extended, not merely to contemptu-
Gus disregard of treaties and covenants,
but to menace to the vast and mate
rial British interests in China?
The Manchester Guardian hazards
the view that future developments de-
pend upon how much further the Japa-
neSe think they can count on the re-
markable patience" already shown by
the Western nations. Both journals
strongly advocate cooperation with the
OlIICCu oCdIGS III IllOIt NIBOIOuS pOlICy
as the only action likely to check fur
ther aggression to a point which will
lead to inevitable catastrophe.
( x y X
The London Times adopts more
cautious official note, but agrees that q
common line of action on the part Of
America and Britain is extremely I'M
portant, while discountenancing talk Of
an economic bOVcOtt
In political circles the utmost anx-
iety prevails, aggravated by the delay
Of Foreign Minister Sir John Simon's
reply to the American overtures and
the unfortunate fact that he at this
most critical moment is confined to his
bed with influenza. The British mes
sage to Toxic and the action of the
consular services to halt the fighting at
Shanghai gives momentary pause,
but does not relieve the gravity of the
position and the need of assertion Of
world authority in the presence of a
crime as reckless as 1t is unexampled.
If civilization permits this outrage upon
its covenants and humanities, then 1t
may be asked, Why send solemn repre-
sentatives to a disarmament confer
ence to sign more idle covenants?
(Copyright, l932)