Evening star., 1934-03-22

They recall how frequently former
Ambassador Debuchi used to come to
the State Department to give formal
assurances to Secretary OF State Stim-
son that the Japanese government did
not encourage the military adventures
of the Japanese army leaders. And
Stimson. trusting the liberal-ninded
Premier Wakatsuki and his still more
liberal minded Foreign Secretary
Baron Shidehara, fell into the trap.
OF course, in those days the Amer
ican government was not building a
powerful navy nor an important air
force. And in the East these are the
strongest arguments for the promo
ton of peace and friendship.
1t may be that as result OF the
exchange OF friendly declarations
between the tlpo Secretaries OF
State there 1UiH be, after all, a netD
ndUdl conference in 1885.
The British are already saying that
if it is held, it should not convene in
London. Their capital has been un-
lucky to all conferences. The naval
agreement signed there in 1890 was
not very satisfactory and the economic
conference of last Summer was q
dismal failure. Rome. it is said, may
prove more fortunate for international
conferences, and MuSSolini IS quite
anxious to have an important gather
ing in the capital of Fascismo.
There seems TO be only one haven
for the modern Flying Dutchman
Samuel insult, the fallen Chicago util-
tiles magnate. And that is the Island
of Sokotra, situated at the entrance oil
the Bay of Alden, "a hours away from
the port of the same name. The Is
land is seldom visited by white men
and the lighthouse keeper who ven-
tured into the interior, was eaten up
by the cannibals.
The island is ruled by the Sultan
of Sokotra, a dignified gentleman to
whom the British admiralty is paying
a yearly subsidy of $4,000 in order to
protect any shipwrecked sailors who
may land on the island. This sum is
about the only revenue in cash the
Sultan of Sokotra possesses.
The Sultan takes trip to Colombo
the capital of Ceylon. once a year,
and is entitled to a one-gun salute
provided he is well behaved. If the
previous year he has disgraced roy
atty by too rowdy behavior during
his two-week celebration In Ceyion, he
does not get the salute. And this is
a very severe punishment for him,
indeed
If insult decides to land in Sokotra
it will be impossible to obtain his
extradition.
The Communist increment seems
to be progressing in Japan. espe-
ciaHy among the young men OF
GOOD families. No less than 500
hare been arrested in 1888 in pa
riouS parts OF the empire, II hare
been sentenced to death. Accord
ing to reports there are number
OF celluleS in the japanese army
and especially in the air JORGE.
Among those arrested last year
we're three university professors, a
Judge. two daughters of japanese mil
lionaires, two sons of members of the
House of Peers and leading econ
omist. The Communist society has
an income of 100000 yen (S50,000)
from direct contributions and gifts
collected in Japan. Just how large
the contributions from Moscow are
nobody can tell.
The system of monopolies adopted by
many European nations to swell the
receipts of their depleted treasures is
not always agreeable TO the popula-
ton.
The Bulgarian government match
monopoly recently has asked the min.
istry of interior to issue an order to
prohibit altogether the sale Of Gig
arctic lighters, because they were COM
peting with the sale of matches.