Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-11-03

they nave picked the 5-foOt incar-
nation of the Samurai spirit, Gen
Sadao Araki, to take the burden. He
is the most popular lingo Japan has
produced since the death of her
Lord Nelson, Admiral Togo. He was
the firebrand who engineered, under
patronage of Patriarch Toyama's
Black Dragon Society, the seizure OF
Manchuria. He advocates abolition
Of parliamentarianism and establish
ment Of out-and-out military fascism.
Big business is afraid of him, but
may need him to cushion 1t against
the growing demands of laborer,
peasant and flsherman-a demand
more urgent at every report of victory
for Japan on the Asiatic mainland.
1t is thought that Araki and the dis
satisfied commoners set against each
other may neutralize the opposing
pressures.
Unrest Follows Wars.
The periods of greatest internal
unrest in Japan have always fol-
lowed victorious wars. Premier Prince
Ito. most popular and revered states
man Japan has produced in modern
times, lost leg because he told his
compatriots that Japan's gains from
the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-5
would be limited. Japan again came
dangerously near to internal revolu-
ton following the victory over Russia
in l904-5. The Japanese people
couldn't understand why they had to
pay heavier takes after the victorious
war than before. Uprisings took place,
and general revolution was averted
only by turning the government over
to the powerful and popular head of
the army at the time, Japan's Bis
marck, Prince Yamagata. This prece-
dent is talked up now. But Araki
sorely lacks the stature of Yamagata.
The japanese people are cohesive
and reliable and capable of any de-
gree of self-sacrifice under the feel
ing OF supreme national danger. They
love victories against great odds. But
the present campaign in China has
been the most "unpsychological" war
their army has ever got them into.
The best Japanese propagandists have
failed to work their people into a
war fury and spirit of self-sacrifice.
Chaing Kai-shek, who went to school
in Japan, and many Chinese in high
counsels know this quirk of Japanese
psychology very well, and despite tre-
mendous incitation to reprisals, have
played to it consistently.
World Opposition Welcomed.
For moment after President Roose-
velt's Chicago blast it looked as if
the world was lining UP against Japan.
The japanese high command was
actually happy over the prospect that
world condemnation might do for
them what League sanctions against
Italy did for Mussolini during his
Ethiopian campaign-frighten the
people into q feeling that the ma
tional existence was threatened and
arouse them to the voluntary belt
tightening and frenzied self sacrifice
Of which the Japanese are capable
above all other people. Therefore,
several days late, after the high COM
mand had thought the thing out, F.
D. RS speech and Hulls pronounce
ment and the Leagues condemnation
were served up to the Japanese mill
lions in their press. But that was
just in time to have all the sting
taken out of them by the backwater
announcements of Mr. Roosevelt. Mr.
Chamberlain and others that no coer-
Give means would be used against
Japan! japanese censors hardly felt
equal to depriving their people of
that news. So the net result was that
the japanese military were cheated
out OF the best chance to date to
make their people take the China war