Evening star., 1937-09-09

important to Emperor and country :
They are organized in secret societies
such as the Back Dragon" and
pledged to kill or die upon command
Inls group, strong among Junior
officers of Army and Navy, precipitated
war with China in 1894, with Russia
IN 1904, and seized Manchuria in
1881. Each time Japanese wealth and
aristocracy, catapulted into the situa-
ton, followed through fearfully. but
were glad to take the lions share of
the successes.
Centralized Without Manehuria.
The loss Of Manchuria gave China
an opportunity to centralize as she
had been unable to do while the
Manchurian tail wagged the Chinese
dog. SO China consolidated and her
military leader, Chang Kai-shek, in
spired by his American educated wife.
built up an army and an air force
trained by Americans and equipped
with the best American planes. Mean
while the BLACK Dragon" empire
builders in Japan grew more restive.
The. younger group wanted to attack
Russia first, expecting China to fall
into their laps. But as it became ap-
parent that Russia was growing weak
er through internal discord and China
stronger with time, the advice of the
older group prevailed. A plan was
approved for seizing China north of
the Yellow River, adding it to Man.
chukuo and re-establishing the Man.
chu puppet Emperor in the forbidden
city of Peiping.
Japanese big business acquiesced
because it wants North China as the
source Of raw material for its biggest
industry. cotton spinning. Already it
has captured many Of the world mar
kets, but to acquire the rest it needs
Scent cotton and does not wish to
risk its raw material under the con-
troll of a possibly unsympathetic gov
eminent. 1t does not wish to continue
to have to buy from Houston and
New Orleans. Already tens of thou
sands of pounds of American cotton
seed have been distributed to North
China peasants by Japanese agents
and this years cotton yield is double
last years crop. Furthermore. there
is the added profit to be made from
selling Manchurian surplus grain to
the peasants.
japanese big business, q little scared
of the jingoes, insisted that the VEN
ture be under the administration of
the gentleman of breeding and
wealth, descendant of the "godly"
house, Prince Konoye. That was all
right with the jingoes-they are not
bothering much about Konoye. He is
left TO make the explanations. When
they get the whole nation under drill
they are as likely as not to reouisi-
ton all private wealth in the name of
the Emperor.
Unprepared for Shanghai.
North China was already within the
grasp of japanese garrisons before the
hghtlng began. japanese business
and banking were willing to take the
risk of what little campaigning seemed
necessary to drive out the Chinese
armies and officials. But they were
entirely unprepared and unwilling to
get into the Shanghai mess. That is
where they feel tricked by their i'm
perlallst friends. That, too, is where
their soldiers and sailors have fallen
into the trap of the corresponding
Chinese clique.
For the japanese clique which has
now got its nation begged in Chinese
mlre, with international storms brew
ing overhead, one can say il wished
to aggrandize its country and add to
the prestige of its Emperor. For the
opposing Chinese clique, which
trapped the japanese, although it
may fail to hold them, one can say
that it was determined that its nation
should resist further invasion regard
less of cost and methods used.
This group of self-appointed pa
triots, which includes the Soong wom-
en- and many young officials in the
NanKlng government, had to overcome
the selfishness and inertia of huge,
loose jointed country. Had the fight
ing stayed in the North, it is by no
means certain that Chang Kai-shek
would have risked his new airplanes
in it. So the Shanghai incident was
created-led up to by growing right
eous Indignation, famed by a few
Chinese determined that China should
no longer be shamed among nations,
The stupid Japanese Navy fell nicely
into the trap, as it did in 1892. The
army had to go TO its rescue. This
time the Chinese patriots determined
to teach the foreign. treaty powers the
cost Of permitting Japan to ignore
compacts and use treaty concessions
for military bases. They were none
TOO nice about where they dropped
bombs or drew Japanese FIRE. And