Evening star., 1933-02-14
ULT|MATUM ST|RS
BRITAIN AND j. s,
-
Expected Blockade of China
Would Bring PeriIous
Situation.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

The report that Japan has issued an
ultimatum to China TO withdraw her
forces from Jehol Is causing consid-
cradle worry in official quarters OF Lon
don and Washington, because 1t is ex-
pected that the uftimatum will be fol-
lowed by a declaration of war.
A state Of war between China and
Japan has existed for Is months, but
diplomatic relations have not been
broken off during all this time Conse-
quently Japan could not enforce any
of the rules provided in the inter-
national law when two countries are at
war. One of the main weapons q
nation at war has, Is the right to de-
clare blockade against the nation she
is fighting. Should Japan decide to do
this at the present moment, the situa-
tion undoubtedly will become extremely
complicated and dangerous.
As long as Japan still Is q member
Of the League of Nations she cannot
declare war on China, neither can she
enforce q blockade. The blockade, ac-
cording to the covenant, can be placed
only against q nation which Is at war
with the League. This weapon had been
reserved exclusively for the League to
enforce her decisions against recalcitrant
nations.
Virtually Ont Now.
Japan now is virtually out of the
League and the moment she no longer
Is q member of that body she will have
her hands free to wage an unrestricted
war on China
A blockade of the entire coast north
Of Hong Kong would Immediately sup
press all trade between China and the
outside world. and will be felt especially
by the United States and Great Britain,
which are the chief nations trading with
China.
Consequently, while the League is
pondering what measures it should take
against Japan, and whether 1t could
get that complex machinery which forms
the Society Of Nations to agree to block
ade Japan. that country Is prepared to
steal the thunder from the League and
proclaim blockade Of the Chinese
coast, which would cost the United
States and Great Britain many hundreds
Of millions of dollars every year.
The situation Is likely to be further
complicated by the fact that both the
American and the British governments
still maintain that in an armed con-
AilCt pctWccu TWO IdtlOIlS LIlc IlRnLS OF
the neutrals must not be interfered
with.
World War Cited.
The interference of the allies with
the American trade in the World War
nearly brought this country into q wsr
with Great Britain and one Of the
principal reasons for America joining
the allies in 1917 was Germany's refusal
to recognize the right of free trade Of
American citizens with any nation they
wanted to deal with.
In the pre-war days the list of war
contraband was restricted to actual
armamentS. During the World War,
however, that list was increased to such
an extent that it included practically
every exportable commodity, such as
wheat and cotton, and even meat and
hides.
There Is little doubt that japan will
enforce drastic boycott against China.
q boycott which will cripple whatever
trade there Is today between that coun-
try and Great Britain and America.
How these two nations are going
to act to safeguard their neutral rights
Is unknown for the time being, but
there is no doubt that this problem Is
considered as extremely serious and
full OF dynamite, and forms the sub
Ject OF conversation between the two
governments.