Evening star., 1935-02-01

Japan's latest military movements
in North China occasion much con-
lecture among American editorial
writer's.
Concrete proof that Japan has not
ended its career of conquest is now
evident" maintains the Buffalo Eve
ming News. "A large force of Japa-
nese troops has been massed on the
Manchoukuo- Chahar border. The os-
tensible reason for this action is that
bandits have found haven in Chahar
Province and 1t is necessary, therefore,
to undertake a punitive expedition
against them. But this excuse is
threadbare. The real purpose of an
invasion of Chahar would be to add
that province to Manchoukuo." The
Portland Press Herald thinks that
their objective is Kuyuan, an impor-
tant junction of caravan routes run
ming south and southwest into China.
The same paper adds: 1T is evidently
the purpose of the japanese to strad-
die this important trade route and
secure control of it."
1.-The Turk-Sib Railway" explains
Lllc 1NcWdIh GfcIllIlS 1NCWSy RdI
Russia's border for some 200 miles, and
the trade of Sinkiang. which used to
flow along the main Russo-China
caravan route through China to the
sea, now is flowing in the other di-
rection to the Turk-Sib Railway and
Russia. Since 1925 Russia has dom
mated this trade and seems to be i'm
proving its domination. Foreign Min
lister Hirota has heard rumors that
the Russians are Sovietizing Sinkiang
probably true-and gives notice that
the Japanese government will be
obliged to continue to watch with con-
Germ activities of the Communist party
and armies in China"
The Troy Record suggests that
probably Japan has reasons to see
red in the lands 1t covets," but adds:
I'm worrying about Soviet proselyting
in Chinese territory it strengthens the
prediction that Japan Is holding China
as its own future prey. To be the
master of the Orient it knows that it
must be the overlord of China and its
vast population. Anything that might
retard the attainment of this ambi-
ton will be looked upon as unfriendly."
Under such circumstances Mr..
Hirota's address before the Dist
arouses unusual interest. "The nfN
striking feature of the note Is the
courteous and complimentary tone of
the references to China" says the
New York Herald Tribune. There is
no reason for assuming that all these
expressions of good will and hope are
insincere They undoubtedly tell us
honestly enough how the foreign min
lister would try to adjust Japan'S for
eign relations-if the army and the
navy were to give him free hand.
1t is impossible to forget, however,
that on the very eve of the army's
Manchurian adventure in 1881 the
foreign Office was hopeful of an
amiable understanding with the Man
churian authorities"
To the New Haven Journal Courier
it seems that "the whole tone of the
Hirota address suggests again that the
peaceful and friendly relations sought
must be on Japan's terms" The Journal
Courier adds; Implicit in exery para
graph, that is. turks the familiar doc
trine East Asia must be considered
first and Japan first In East Asia.
China, that is must awaken to the
realities of the situation and recog-
nize that Japan is her best friend.
Comment Immediately leaps to recent
predictions that Japan will seek to
force China to free herself completely
from Western influences"
"Quo Tai-chi, Chinese Minister to
England" the Los Angeles Times Mir
ror reports, said recently that to his
people Manchuria still presents the
same picture it did before japanese
occupation. that China's attitude re-
manned adamant and that China still
regards the territory temporarily and
illegally ruled by Japanese puppet'
as its own. This declaration"