Evening star., 1932-02-20
Big Powers Fearful Lest Small Nations
Force Them to Act.
BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.

By Gable to The Star.
GENEVA, Switzerland, February 20.
The League of Nations Councils last
minute appeal to stay the impending
japanese offensive at Shanghai has
failed Messages flashed over the
and China to cease firing and urging
Japan to delay the expiration of its
ultimatum proved fruitless.
In consequence. in Geneva today, it
is as if the thunder. of cannon, the
rattle of machine guns, the crash of
falling bombs and the cries of the
wounded could actually be heard by the
delegates of more than so nations. who
March 3 will transform themselves
from disarmament conference into
the first world assembly ever called to
apply the League covenant and try tC
halt a war
Tempers are rising against Japan
There is talk of sanctions everywhere.
Armament manufacturers. fearful lest
some sort Of embargo end their prof.
liable business in the Far East. have
rushed their scouts hither. The big
powers, reluctant to take definite action
OF any sort against Japan. are anxious
lest the little powers force their hands.
L. S. May Be Invited.
l ne ASSelIlUiy. IL Is SdlU, may laSC
several days. Official Chinese and
japanese versions of what has hap
pened will be circulated as also reports
of the Leagues committee at Shang-
hal and a report from the Council
seeking to justify its failure.
Convocations to the Assembly were
wired out today Present indications
are that non-member countries like
the United States. will be invited to sit
with the Assembly in a consultative
and advisory capacity with the right
to speak. but not to vote.
The smaller powers are worried lest
the Councils demonstrated impotence
will permanently discredit the League
and deprive them of all peaceful guar
antics Some therefore. favor breaking
diplomatic relations with Japan and
even a world embargo against Japan.
Among these are said to be the Scan
dinavian countries, Spain and Switzer-
land.
The big powers represented on the
Council are still obviously reluctant to
act yet 1t was evident last night that
they were disappointed and even re-
sentful that Japan thus far has COM
pleRly ignored their 12-poWer note ap-
pealing to Japan's responsibility as a
great power and to Japan'S better nature.
Affair Not Ended.
It would therefore apparently be a
grave mistake to consider the AFFAIR
ended as far as the League is con-
cerned. The contrary seems to be more
nearly true, namely. that in deeper
sense it is just beginning. 1t is pos
sible certainly that the Assembly Will
find itself as helpless as the Council has
been, but it is also possible that the
Assembly will bring about situation
wherein Japan finds itself suddenly de-
serted literally by the entire world.
Meanwhile there is much discussion
in political circles regarding Japan's
real intentions Among the ideas put
forward in this respect are the fol-
lowing:
Japan's fundamental aim, 1t Is said,
Is TO establish once and Tor all lts
hegemory in the Far East. 1t desires
on the one hand, to prove to the west
ern powers that Japan hencefoth IN
tends to handle Chinese affairs in Its
own way without outside interference
and. on the other hand, to demonstrate
to China the impotence OF its alleged
American and European friends and
the consequent necessity OF coming to
terms with Japan.
There was danger from the Japa-
nese viewpoint that, If Japan had not
suddenly acted, China would have been
developed and consolidated by Ameri-
can capital and by activities in hygiene,
education and transportation of the
LeaYue Of Nations, which had begun to
cooperate in these respects with the
Nanking government.
Japan Has Own Ideas.
Japan has its own ideas. it is de-
clared, regarding the future of China
Already Manchuria is equipped by
Japan with a puppet government and
has been declared independent. Japan
will not for the present annex Man.
ehuria and Eastern Inner Mongolia
but 1t intends to protect and develop
this vast rich Chinese area.
Japan's operations in Shanghai are
widely believed, therefore. to be aimed
essentially at forcing China and the
Western powers to acknowledge the
Manchurian independence, at breaking
the Chinese boycott Of japanese goods
and at preventing Great Britain. the
United States and others, in the mean
while, from proflting by this boycott
once these aims are achieved Japan. ii
Is predicted, may be willing to re-eS-
tablish the status quo in Shanghai.
Reports to certain Council powers in
dicate, moreover. that Japan would be
glad to see North China separate itself
from South China and it is likely i,
will use its influence in this sense. The
main obstacle to these alleged Japanese
policies is the United States with its
determination to maintain the open
door. and uoritorial and administrative
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