Evening star., 1937-08-29

tens of thousands of people are merely
a police protection, to protect the
lives and property of the Japanese
citizens in China" This, at least.
Is the callous contention of the Toxic
government
But the day when Chang Kai-
shek begins to receive arms and am
munition from Russia. Toxic will
change the hackneyed tune. A howl
will be raised in Japan that the SOL
dierS of the Emperor are now on
crusade for civilization; that they
are fighting to prevent Asia from be-
coming communistic.
The new tune would be harmless
enough were it not for the close un-
derstanding between the three totali-
tartan states.
Agreement Last Year.
Last year the German and the
japanese governments signed an
agreement to help each other in the
fight against communism. While the
agreement, as published, does not con-
tain any definite military clauses, the
wording of ito exchange informa-
ton and support each others actions
in an endeavor to check the spread
ing Of communism n"-indicates that
the two powers will not content them
selves with platonic gestures in the
event of conflict which involves
Russia.
German experts were sent to Japan
before this agreement became public.
Since that time more German special
lists in airplane manufacture, in anti
aircraft defense and in chemical war
fare have been lent to Japan. No
less than $50 technicians are now
cooperating with the japanese war
department introducing in Japan the
latest devices created by the German
military technical genius.
The power Of resistance of the
Chinese generalissimo depends almost
entirely on how much material he
can obtain from abroad. The re-
cent financial agreements made by the
Chinese government in Europe, with
the Skoda arms factory in Czecho-
slovakla and with the French financial
groups which are supporting the
Skoda works. indicate the scope of
the lnterrelation between China and
the Soviets. Both Czechoslovakia and
France are relying on Moscow in
their eventual struggle with Hitler.
1t is for this reason that the in
solvent Chinese government has been
granted credits which it would not
have received for its own sake.
Chang can promise to do a good
deal against Japan. He might, if we'll
supplied, break the power of the island
empire.
Planes Too Valuable.
The Chinese aviators are eager to
raid Japan. It would be an easy job
the distance from Nanking to Toxic
Is only little over 1900 miles. But
Chang cannot permit it. His planes
are too valuable for service at the
front. He knows that squadron of
80 or 40 bombers Is barely sufficient to
make an impression on Japan: The
new airplane detectors would inform
the japanese authorities that foreign
planes were on the way to the is
lands and before the Chinese bombers
were half way across the sea they
would be met by some of Japan's 2,400
airplanes. Even if some escaped an
air battle. the coastal anti-aircraft
defenses would be on the lookout and
not one Of the Chinese bombers would
return to its base Chang Kai-shek
cannot afford to lose a single plane
for mere gesture. That is why the
red plans" provided by the Chinese
war plans division must remain in
their pigeonhole for the time being.
But the situation will become totally
different when the generalissimo
knows that he can count on inexhaust-
ible supplies from the Soviets.
President Roosevelt is watching the
situation with anxiety For the time
being his chief concern is to get the
Americans out of the war zones to
safety. But he regards the Chinese
as bulwark against the totalitarian
regimes. The avowal of China and
Japan that they are not at war with
each other permits the President to
withhold the proclamation Of the neu-
trality law which would automatically
place an embargo on all shipments of
war materials to both belligerents.
This would not hamper the japanese
who manufacture everything the army
needs, but it would impede the Nam
king government which depends on
the American market for military sup
plies.
The day approaches, however, when
Mr.. Roosevelt will have no choice in
the matter. That can be precipitated
by Toxic.
But while the serious situation in
China, with all the risks to American
citizens, Is worrying the administra-
tion, the loss of American life and
property would not draw us into a
conflict.
What would make the situation pre-
carious would be the extension of the
Sino-Japanese conflict to involve
Russia and Germany. All the i'm
plications which have been feared in
washington since the beginning of
the Spanish civil war would be trans
planted much nearer home.
(Copyrigh.. 1872