Evening star., 1936-06-07


asked.
"I can best answer these questions"
said the prince, by referring once
again to the imperial rescript issued
March 81, 1888, when We formally re-
tired from the League of Nations. 1t
said that by withdrawing from the
League and embarking on course of
its own, our empire does not mean
that it will stand aloof in the extreme
Orient, nor that it will isolate itself
thereby from the fraternity Of ma
tionS. 1t is our desire to promote
mutual confidence between our empire
and all other powers and TO make
known the justice of its cause
throughout the world
This" the prince explained, "is
the spirit which has been and will
continue to be observed by us. AS
to whether Japan may or may not
eventually return to the League, it is
too early even to ask the question.
feel, moreover, 1t is a question for
the League rather than for US to an
swer. The power and prestige of the
League have suffered most severely on
account of its utter inability to deal
effectively with the Ethiopian
dispute"
Cites Feeling Toward Germany.
''Is there" he was asked, IAN agree
ment Of alliance between Japan and
Germany and, even If there is no such
agreement, is Japan's relationship
with Germany likely to be strength
ened as a result of Japan's apparent
friction with Russia and as a result
of Germany's desire to Offset the
Soviet menace?"
The prince replied. THE existence
Of such an agreement has been Off
cially denied both in Toxic and in
Berlin. However, it is a fact that
some of our unbiased observers hold
the recently concluded Franco-Soviet
pact responsible in some measure for
the unfortunate state of affairs now
prevailing along the Soviet Manchu-
kuo frontier. They maintain that, al
though the pact ostensibly excludes
the Far East from its scope, it has,
as matter of fact, enabled the So
Wet to make huge concentration Of
troops on the Siberian border. I
think it is not unnatural for these
critics to favor a rapprochement be-
tween Japan and Germany and even
urge it upon the government"
do you believe that, even in the
event of a general European war,
Japan would not fight Russia in the
Far East?"
AT present" the prince said, II
can conceive no circumstance which
might compel us to fight Russia, even
in the event of war in Europe. Mr..
Hirota has consistently urged upon
Russia the institution of joint COM
mission for the clear demarcation of
the Manchukuo-S boundary
and also the establishment of "a de-
militarized zone along the border. AS
we understand it, Mr. Hirota thinks
such measures must precede any such
agreement as a non-aggression pact
and think he is right.
mo one can doubt Mr.. Hirota's
wisdom in this respect if he ponders
the European situation, which is be-
coming increasingly alarming on the
question of the armament and fortifi-
cation of the Franco German border
zone. It is our policy to eliminate
causes of friction through dig 1matic
negotiations. Despite many alarmist
rumors in Europe and America, moth
ing is further from our thought than
to embark upon an aggressive policy"
Farm Problem Discussed.
Changing from the international to
the internal affairs of Japan, the
writer asked: "Is there growing m
ternal unrest in Japan, due to acute
distress in farming districts, and is
this likely to affect the Hirota cabi-
nets foreign policy?"
There is an agrarian question" the
Prince replied, although I doubt that
the condition is so serious as to ,be
called unrest. You will recall that in
1882 special session of the Diet was
called to consider agrarian relief
Minister Takahashi then con-
expending 1000. 600 900 yen
over period of three years. But the
Diet passed bill appropriating only
ITO, 100000 yen for one year. This
sum was reduced to $1,000, 900 yen in
1888. In 1884 1t was cut down to
79, 400, 900 yen.
This is bound to be one of the
cabinets most difficult problems. Be-
hind this problem is a deeper and
more fundamental question. The in
fact is that our arabic area
is too small and our population too
large. And it does not seem possible
to find suitable room for our emil