Evening star., 1937-01-31
1Y CONSTANTINE BROWN.
ASHINGTON Is watch

w WASHINGTON Is watching
XAJ with intense interest the
.NV development Of the jap
anese government crisis.
Today the struggle between the mill
tary and civilian politicians IN Japan
q more important than 1t was few
yeass Or even . few months ago. The
Issue interests almost every country In
the world. ----.-.- - ..>.'
II was Japan which in 1891 gave
ths signal for the present complete
disregard Of AL international agree
knents and for the beginning Of the
mad, ruinous armament race.
II 10 possible that it will be in Japan
where the backbone Of the militaristic
dictatorships will break. The struggle
between the. soldiers and the political
parties in Toxic may have an impor-
tant and immediate repercussion In
every country where the military reign
supreme at the present moment. The
defeat Of the military coterie may
mean the beginning Of the end Of the
arms race.
The civilian governments which
nave been the humble servants Of the
general stah in Toxic now have un-
expectedly taken heart and challenged
the right Of the army and navy to
spend the hard-earned money Of the
japanese people on super-battleships,
super-tanks and super-airplanes.
From September, 1881, until two
weeks ago there was not single ci-
villain government which dared oppose
the requirements Of the soldiers. The
prime ministers or other cabinet ON
cers who ventured to oppose the ever
Increasing demands for more money
Of the war and navy departments were
labeled traitors and were assassinated
by the enthusiastic young Japanese
0f1icers.
- Statesmen Denounced.
ANY japanese civilian statesman
regardless Of how important or well
thought Of he may have been because
Of his experience and ability. was de-
neunced at the slightest provocation
! as Q member Of the high international
&. finance brotherhood: as q man VINO
was willing to surrender the historical
rights Of his country to the foreign
aevils for his personal interest.
And the great majority Of Japanese
people seemed to be behind the army
patriots. Had these not. with small
saeriflce of human life and with little
expense, presented the Emperor and
the people Of Japan with rich colony
Manchukuo? Had they not Haunted
and slapped the faces Of the great
white powers, especially America and
Great Britain? For i've years the
japanese people lived In o fools para
disc. They were taking away from
the old trading nations most Of the
Asiatic and European markets; Their
governments were kicking into the
waste paper basket all international
treaties and agreements. And the
policy Of the Japanese admiralty to
have naval parity with the old and
wealthy naval powers, America and
Great Britain, was enthusiastically In
dorsed by the vast majority Of the
japanese people. The government
had been able, for q period Of i've
years, to juggle finances. BY the issue
Of bonds. The japanese people did
not realize that they eventually would
have to foot the bill which was being
rum up skyward by the soldiers.
But the enthusiasm for further
military conquest eventually began to
die out. Manchukuo and Jehol, rich
territories, with almost unlimited pos
sibilities for emigration and develop
naent Of raw material sources, had
been conquered. The adventure Of the
japanese soldiers In other fields, Inner
Mongolia and Northern China, could
not capture the imagination Of the
maxses The soldiers and the sailors
had missed their chance to tight the
6oyiets and thus enhance the glory
OF the Japanese arms. The people Of
Japan could no longer be fed with
spectacular victories. And there was
an ominous grumbling when the gem
eral stan forced the civilian govern
n1ent to sign an agreement with Ger
many-an agreement which must lead
Japan into world eonfagration.
People Had to Foot Bill
Finally the Japanese people heard
chs sad story: Henceforth they will
have to foot the bill directly from
Eteir own slender pockets. There Is
no longer . question Of taxing the big
boyS-tlae bankers, the shipping mag
Mates, the leading traders. They have
been paying through the nose ever
since the beginning Of the Manehur-
IAN adventure. They paid In direct
exeess proats taxes, In indirect taxes,
IN contributions and especially In
purchasing government bonds which
enahIed the distracted japanese
Iinanoe ministers to meet the increas-
ing demands Of the army and navy.
Since 1881 there has been no more
thankless Job In the world than that
Of the keeper Of Japan's government
purse. The man who assumed that
responsibility had to make good or
else. On many occasions he was not
given even the possibility Of resign
ing II he failed in his task he not
only lost his Job, but his life as well.
Now all the financial tricks which
previous secretaries Of the treasury
a. - ~s.k 4. L.. -