Evening star., 1938-01-20
WAR PUTS STRAIN
ON ANTL-RED PACT
Germany Is Deeply Alarmed
Over Japan's Methods
in China.
By A. T. STEELE.


PEIPING, Jan 20-That anti
comintern otherhocd-Germany, Ja-
pan and Italy-is not the harmonious,
carefree family it would have the
world believe. Recent events in China,
especially the collapse of German ef-
forts to mediate Sino-Japanese differ
ences, are unquestionably putting a
strain on German-Ja japanese amity.
From the beginning of the conflict
it has been most evident that Ger
many Is deeply alarmed over Japanese
big-stick methods in China threaten
ing to wipe out what was in a fair
way to becoming one of Germany's
most fruitful markets. Repeatedly the
Germans have urged the Japanese to
curb their military operations and to
seek peace before they plunge too
deeply to make withdrawal possible.
Twice German Ambassador Oscar p.
Irautmann volunteered his services as
medlator-once just before the fall of
Marking and again in recent weeks
but twice failed AS a result, the re-
neWal OF Japanese aggression is
imminent, spelling the ruin of i'm
portant German interests in Central
and South China involving the loss of
millions OF dollars on untitled Sino-
German contracts. not to mention the
damage to German-Japanese relations.
| Japan Reported Warned.
1t is reliably reported that Germany
Is so perturbed over japanese aggres-
sion in China that she had warned
Japan that the anti-Comintern agree
ment cannot be expected to apply
against the Chinese government and
that protection Of German interests is
| OF paramount Importance This seems
to indicate that Germany has no in
tention at present Of following the
japanese lead in reputation Of Gen.
| eralissimo Chang Kai-shek's regime
or Of transferring their support to the
puppet government here despite hope
full predictions in the Japanese news
papers.
Germany heretofore has never tax
en- the Chinese reds seriously, pointing
| out. first that they are not q serious
| military menace, second, that they
are not genuine Communists. For
these reasons the German government
views the japanese war in China as
a form of slow suicide for, by dissipat-
| ing their strength in a quixotic as
sault on the red windmills in China,
| the Japanese are not only undermine
ing their own strength vis-a-vis Rus
sia, but are pushing China into the
arms of the reds.
Germans have suffered equally with
the nationals of other powers from
the excesses of the japanese Army.
Their properties also occasionally
have been bombed and looted and
their businesses undermined.
Germans Resentful.
The Germans. oficial and other
wise, are especially resentful over the
noisy and bombastic manner in which
the japanese Army capitalized on the
anti -Comintern pact at home and
abroad using it As club over peoples
for whom it was never intended and
attempting to give it significance out
of all proportion to its true impor-
tance. The japanese Army has few
friends, but 1t is exploiting the few
it has to the utmost, to Germany's
embarrassment.
It Is noteworthy that German ad-
visers are still assisting the Chinese
government despite japanese overtures
to Berlin asking that they be with
drawn.
There is detectable q coolness be-
tween them and the Chinese Reds,
but no serious rift. Contrasted to
Germany's position, the Italians have
little to lose in China, and it would
not surprise any one If they took
JapanS cues throughout the China
crisis
Copyright 1888. BY chieaso Daily News.