The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1937-08-27
WAR NOT DECLARED


declared war. Yet in the intervening
years there have been a number of
tar-reaching, sanguinary conflicts
What might be termed Mars modern
technique does not require formal
declaration of war-armies are
modified, soldiers and civilians are
slaughtered, cities are devastated
and governments change even while,
officially speaking, actual war does
not exist.
In Italy's Ethiopian campaign for
example, war was not declared-but
the result of the invasion was to
eliminate the Ethiopian Monarchy
and make the country into an Italian
colony governed by the Italian Milit-
ary Russia and France have not de-
clared war on the Spanish In
surgents, nor have Germany and
Italy broken off relations with the
secret that Frances cause has been
kept alive with the aid of German
and Italian troops and equipment,
while the Government forces would
have collapsed long since had it not
been for Russian airplanes and arm
aments and French military experts.
To-day in the Far East the world is
again witnessing a war without de-
claration of war that is of the utmost
significance not only to the nations
involved, but to the Western World
as we'll.
Japan has gone to the limit in re-
cent years to build up her army and
navy. For small country, she has
an amazing military machine, far
superior to that of the Chinese
though China her self has made pro-
gress in unifying and Strengthening
the country. China's greatest weak
ness has always been the corruption
of her local governments-as Oswald
Garrison Willard has written, ''The
purchasing of Chinese statesmen and
generals is Japan's long suit; it has
advanced her policy Of conquest
far more rapidly than have her rifles
and cannon" The central, Marking
government has usually proven in
able to control the superabundaut
local War Lords-each with his own
| interest at heart and each suspicious
of the others. The situation as it
exists in China, is as if each Ameri-
can state governor had a great pri-
vate army which he could use for
any purpose he wishes, even to the
extreme of fighting the armies of
Ineighboring governors.
AS consequence, plus Japan's far
more efficient and modern war mach
ines, it is believed certain that the
Japanese will encounter relatively
little trouble in conquering the north
provinces. She will take over cities
and accomplish destruction on a vast
scale, and probably replace present
local governments with puppet Chin
csc governments controlled by the
Japanese, as she did in Manchuria.
But in the long run Japan's chances
of success are dubious. China is
tremendous country, with the largest
population in the world. Not since
the dawn of history has it been per-
manently conquered-over a period
of many years, the invaders inter-
marry with the Chinese and are Writ
ually swallowed by the immense
country. China has more than half
a billion people as against Japan's
rs, 900, 900.
Furthermore, it seems inconceiv-
able that Japan will be permitted
by other powers to advance unhind-
cred into China. Russia is strongly
anti-Japanese and will, if matters go
far enough, throw her resources to
the side of China. And if it came
down to Russo-Japanese war, most
military experts think the bear would
win.
England will attempt to limit jap
ans conquest in the interest of her
own trade, and so, in all probability,
will United States and France. And
lastly, it is a question whether ia
pans financial resources are suffici-
ent to stand long struggle-today
more than SO per cent of her govern
ment's budget is earmarked for the
army and navy, and she has a soar
ing national debt.
So here is another grave threat to
world nooao-fho crouaof rarh q