Evening star., 1932-08-28
BY FRANK III. SIMONDS.

"HE rapid approach Of the time
when the Lytton Commission
must report to the League on
4 the Manchurian question is re-
sponsible for unmiStakable per-
turbations alike in Geneva and in the
foreign Offices of various European
countries It's influence may also be
traced in recent activities in the Amer
ican State Department. notably in the
case of Secretary Stimson'S speech in
New York Actually the presentation
of this report is bound to renew the
crisis which last Winter dominated the
League and played havoc with the Arms
Conference.
That the report Of the Lytton Com
mission will be critical of japanese pol
icy goes without saying and is obvious
alike from the facts which are uni
versaIly known and the private intima-
tions in respect Of the report which
have already gained circulation. In
deed, despite all diplomatic fictionS,
there is not the smallest doubt that the
japanese in their Manchurian opera
tions have simply proceeded to the full
fillment of an imperialistic purpose
which has long been the major detail
in their foreign policy.
For Japan, Manchuria is a question
of life or death, as the statesmen of
the island kingdom view their national
destinies. 1t is the source alike of
foodstuffs and raw materials. 1t is the
single possible field of economic and
commercial expansion for a huge popu-
lation crowded into the narrow limits
of the Nipponese archipelago since
Japanese exclusion acts in the United
States, Canada, Australia and New
Zealand have made emigration i'm
possible.
Long Standing Plan.
In her Manchurian operations the
japanese have, then, embarked upon an
operation which has been planned ever
since. by the terms of the Washington
treaties, they obtained strategic su-
premacy in Chinese waters. Indeed. the
policy which has, at last, found express
sion has been maturing for more than
a generation since the Sino-Japanese
war itself. It was the explanation OF
the later Russo-Japanese war. In the
World War Japan's participation was
chiefly in order to insure the expulsion
of Germany from the region in which
Japan was interested.
The notion that after three wars and
infinite sacrifice and effort japanese
policy in Manchuria is to be checked
6dtS ny 4O1SC oA1o oo q AOoAA0 Va "NA ~,
therefore, pureSt moonshine. The world
is once more in the presence Of ma
ticnal policy backed by national pub
lie cpinicn and dictated by very obvious
snd unmistakable interest, both mate
r:a, end strategic.
All of this is clear to the great powers
e. Europe and particularly to the Brit
IN and French. 1t also is patent that
10th these countries are, for reasons OF
their own national interest. by no
means inclined to challenge the Japa-
nese purpose Unlike the people of the
United States, neither the British nor
the French have any profound SYM
pathy with the Chinese, neither believe
that a stable government or an orderly
administration is possible in China for
decades to come. And both are salts
fed that their own rights and concerns
would be better protected under Japa-
nese than Chinese sovereignty in Man
churia.
In addition both the French and the
British would be far from displeased
to see Japan completely involved in
her Manchurian adventure, for 1t would
abolish the danger for them incident
to possible japanese expansion either
toward Australasia or in mdo-China
Once the japanese are fully embarked
upon their present operation they are
bound, alike because of present Chinese
and eventual Russian opposition, to be
fully occupied indefinitely.
Security Is Assured.
Finally both the French and the
British are fully aware that in the ex-
listing naval and military situation they
are quite helpless. They have no in
tention or interest in going to war t.
maintain Chinese sovereignty, and afte
the renunciationS of the Washington
treaties they, like the United States
are unable effectively to intervene, not
merely in Manchuria, but in China
proper and about Shanghai as well
This point was made clear during thu
fighting about that great treaty por'
last Winter.
In the crisis which is bound to de
velop with the Lytton report, therefore
the policy of Britain and France will
remain what it was in the discussion!
which centered in Geneva last year anc
in January and February Of the cur
rent year. And, while italian interest,"
are by comparison Of minor Importance
Italy will also follow similar line
And with the three great naval ant
colonial powers of Europe resolved t.
stand aside and with at least two
namely France and Italy-undlsgulsed
" sympathetic with Japan as Is con
siderable portion of the British Tor
world, japanese security on the Euro
paan front is assured.
On the other hand, in the League
Nations there is bound at once to be
resumption of the pressure from IN
secretariat and the smaller continenta
states alike for the vindication OF tn
moral authority of the League. 1t wa
this influence which explained the i'll
Judged ultimatum of the Council
the League last october, calling upol
Japan to retire on or before Novembe
16. When Japan advanced instead
retiring, the whole moral authority O
the League was compromised.
All last Winter, therefore, while nom
inally the Arms Conference was i