Evening star., 1937-08-29
Technique of Aggression.

Technique of Aggression.
The most battling aspect of the cur
rent Chinese-Japanese conflict is for
Americans undoubtedly the distinction
which is insisted upon between a state
OF war and q state of armed strife.
To most people it surely must appear as
an ingenious bit of sophistry, invented
for the purpose of obscuring a duty to
invoke the neutrality act.
AS matter of fact the differentiation
arises from the new technique of con-
quest and from the desire Of armed dis
putants to avoid the cloak of belligerency.
The aggressor resists such status be-
cause it leaves him remarkably free to
pursue his course; the victim resists it
for fear that fight to the finish may
have worse consequences.
No better example of this reluctance
to enter the field of war can be offered
than the care with which both China
stated specifically that the blockade
against Chinese ships will in no way
apply to foreign vessels, and recognition
is given the fact that enforcement of
full blockade of the China coast against
foreign as we'll as native vessels would
be tacit acceptance of the status of
belligerent. China, likewise, up to now
has ignored all justiflcations for decla-
ration of war-violation of her territory,
sinking Of her ships, and killing of her
citizens and soldiers-and has contented
herself with meeting the armed invasion
of Japan just as it confronts her.
Japan authored a new technique of
aggression which sprang from the Kellogg
pact and the attempt to deprive warfare
of the legal status which has grown about
it during the past two or three centuries.
Growth of commerce, increasing inter-
dependence of national states, and diff
fusion of the interests of these states
made it necessary that non participants
in a conflict impose upon participants
measure Of regulation of their hostilities
Thus war came to be recognized as a
legal condition which neutrals had to
respect just as belligerents had to respect
the rights of neutrals The founding
of the League of Nations introduced
new element-partial adjudication Of
the causes of the disputants-and the
Kellogg pact attempted to plug the holes
left by the Covenant and declared war
outlawed. The effect was to remove war
from the realm of law and effective regu-
lation and set 1t In realm Of anarchy.
Thus war In unjust causes was no
longer to be legal.
Aggression then became easier. and
more effective, without the embarrass-
ment OF an outlawed status Besides,
the making Of war requires the making
of peace and the settlement of all issues.
Aggression without war requires no diplo-
matte negotiations to terminate 1t; re-
quires no recognition of the right Of the
conquered to continue as an independent
state; permits the aggressor to press his
unjust cause as far as he may COM
fortably do SO and then to consolidate
his gains without formal peace, which
might embarrass his resumption OF
aggression at an opportune moment.
Events in the Far East since 1881
admirably illustrate this new technique.
Japan conquered Manchuria and severed
it from China without severance OF dip
lomatic relations. When she had Man.
chukuo well pacified she swung into
North China, and against much less re-
sistance succeeded In establishing the
Hopeh-C -Chahar Political Council, which
was to conduct affairs In North China
according to Japans interests. When this
body proved not sufhciently amenable to
Japanese desires she resumed her aggres-
sion by provoking armed conflict at the
Marco Polo Bridge near Peiping. The
continuity of aggression from September
ls, 1881, to the present moment is an
essential feature. The intervals between
the Tangku truce, which ofhcially ternnt-
mated the first phase, the establishment
Of the Hopeh-Chahar Political Council,
which marked the second, and the pres
ent struggle were only rest periods for
the consolidation Of gains and for the
resumption of normal commercial rela-
tions with China.
If Japan succeeds, without being forced
into finish fight, in asserting her mas
terry over North China she may be ex-
pected to lie dormant for two or three
years while she intrenches herself before
marching farther into China.
AS a faithful Postmaster General the
industrious Mr. Farley is perhaps entitled