Evening star., 1933-02-26
Britain Concerned Over
Arms Embargo on Japan
BY A. G. GARDINER.

LONDON. February 25.-An ques-
tions have been submerged this week
by the momentous happenings In the
Far East. The immediate problem Is
that Of supply Of ornaments for the
belligerent nations. The British gov
ernment has been bombarded daily with
demands to forbid the export of arms
to Japan.
why Japan?" cry some voices from
the Conservative benches, for, In spite
Of unanimous action by the League
Of Nations condemning her venture In
Manchuria, Japan has friends, especial
ly in the Beaverbrook press, whose hos
tility to the League has become an
obsession. But the overwhelming cur
rent public and press opinion Is pow
erfully on the side Of the League and
the insistence on cessation of arms ex-
ports shows growing volume.
Premier Macdonald has warded OF
the attacks by promising statement
on Monday, explaining the delay as
necessary until formal ratification by
the League Assembly Of the report of
the Committee Of Nineteen, but he has
indicated the attitude Of the govern
ment by his reiterated declaration that
the export Of ornaments Is subject to
international agreement. He Is taking
every means Of ascertaining how an
agreement is possible.
But, as the opposition points out.
while governments delay the arma-
ments traffic grows and the League is
defeated by the action Of its own men,
bers.
Apart from the vast quantities Of
arms exported from the Continent to
the Far East, information divulged in
the House Of Commons In recent
months shows that immense supplies
have been sent from this country to
both China and Japan, including 80
tanks Of the two-men, one-gun type to
Japan. At Newcastle. according to the
London News Chronicle, the Vickers &
Armstrong plants are working "a hours
a day making munitions for the Far
East and the same firms works at
Dartford are employed to capacity.
The lead given by President Hoover
to an embargo on arms exports has
given satisfaction here and confidence
prevails that the British government
will take similar line in Mondays
declaration. The question whether the
embargo should be general, or applied
only to Japan, Is botly discussed. It is
argued on the one side that it would
be new principle to exert pressure
upon Japan to secure the fulfillment
Of League of Nations report and
that discrimination between belligerents
would constitute pressure. On the other
side 1t is pointed out that the League
having definitely declared that Japan
is the aggressor, its clear duty Is to
forbid members Of the League from
oidinO or ohatfiro tho aoOroSSiop
\ X
The League report draws attention
to the fact that under Article x of the
Covenant, members Of the League un-
dertake to respect the territorial in
tegrity and existing political inde-
pendence Of all members of the
League" and in finding Japan guilty
Of violation Of the territorial integrity
and independence Of China, the League
clearly cannot permit member states
to aid the aggressor with arms or loans.
Equally, it cannot forbid the supply
Of arms to member Of the League
whose territory has suffered violation
The crucial test of the effectiveness
ment its verdict by an arms embargo. |
No doubt Is felt about the decision
of the British government and 1t Is
fully expected that France, under the
present ministry will agree to an en-
barge. But the question whether the |
embargo should discriminate between |
the aggressor and the aggrieved nation |
Is still in the balance.
It Is realized that the export Of arms |
to China while an embargo Is placed |
on arms to Japan would certainly |
create q situation of danger and in |
cidents at sea. It Is true that the |
capture of British consignments Of |
arms to China could not constitute a |
casus belli, inasmuch as the transac- |
ton would be between the Chinese gov |
eminent and private British traders, but |
it Is recognized that differential treat
ment would be inevitably fraught with |
grave consequences. Yet without that |
differential treatment the League of
Nations cannot effect It's unanimous
verdict.
fco''TisAs' i'ss' !