Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-02-03

Ito retaliate against one of tn
strong powers Germany whicl
had impeded her progress in China
by taking from Germany the terri
tory of Kioa. Chau, and to renew
her demands for Shantung. How
ever, even after the World war
the western nations remained in :
position to check most of Japan
ambitions As result of the move
ment toward universal peace ant
| good will among nations, growing
! out of the great war, several ma
| tions of the world sought to pre-
vent the repetition of that struggle
! by means Of limitations of arma
ments. The United States disman,
tied the battleships which would
have given to us a mighty navy, ia
exchange for the plighted faith OF
Japan to maintain the peace Of the
far east and the territorial integ.
rity of China. (And what pig in
a poke we secured in that DEAL }
The western nations agreed not 70
extend their defense fortifications
in the far Pacific, leaving Hawaii to
the United States and Singapore TO
Great Britain.
The changed situation in Europe
which was marked by the failure
of the members of the League Of
Nations to restrain Italy from her
conquest of thopia-Hitler's re-
nunciation of the provisions of the
treaty of Versailles the grow.
ing friendship between Europe's S
most aggressive and militaristic ma
tions, Germany and Italy-while
Japan's most formidable enemy,
Russia, was being weakened by the
purges of Stalin-provided Japan
with the long awaited opportunity
to satisfy her most urgent need for
more territory and essential raw
materials The area over which
Japan has now secured domination
is rich in exploitable natural re-
sources. 1t is likely, that, under
japanese leadership, the long dor
mant industries of China will be
revived, resulting, not only in ma
terial gain to Japan but in a high
er standard of living for the
Chinese as we'll. Complete eXploita-
ton of newly acquired territory by
Japan will, necessarily, have to be
SLOW since Japan, at the present
time has neither the capital nor
the organization which is necessary
for that purpose. The Japanese
have never been able to supplant
the Chinese as tillers of the soil.
Although the most apparent re
suit OF the Chinese situation is the
political control of the country,
which has passed to Japan, the most
important and far-reaching result
is the beginning of a fusion of the
people of the orient into what may
eventually become one powerful
oriental nation whose government
will be shared with the Chinese and
into which Japan, by conquering
China, will ultimately become sub
merged. For the present, Japan
has become the actual master of all
Asia. Unless the unexpected hap
pens, the western nations, which in
the past have developed extensive
commercial interests in China, un-
der agreements with the Chinese
government, must, in the future,
deal with Toxic, rather than Peip,
ing or Nanking.
Germany
What may become the most sig
nificant diplomatic event of the dec :
ade was the visit of Viscount Hall
fax, British lord president Of the
council, to Berlin. To make it more
emphatic, France officially approx
ed the visit. Great Britain has re
versed her former very clearly ex~
pressed attitude toward the de
mands of Germany for the return Of
colonies, lost under the Versailles
treaty, and now appears to recog~
nize, in principle, the German de-
mands, and to return, "in the near
future" parts of the Cameroons anu
Togoland, as tokens of good
faith" also to separate the League
of Nations covenant from the Yer
sailles treaty and to eliminate the
clauses providing for sanctions.
No visit of British official to
Germany, since that of Lord Hal
dane, in 1912, has held out such
a bright hope for peace in Europe.
Some feared an Anglo German
bargain at the expense of Austria,
Czechoslavakia or Russia, but Lon
don says, 1.-THE fundamentals or
British policy remain unchanged.
However it must be kept in mind
that Britain is under very great
pressure since the signing OF the
three power pact in Rome, to aban.
don her ideal Of general settle
ment in Europe" and make sep
arate bargain with Germany in the
hope Of keeping herself ont of war.
influences have been
brought to bear by those who hon
estly believe that Britain can keep
out of war by allowing Germany to
expand in central or eastern Eur
Ope. A strong Germany would be
no menace to Britain If her ener,
gies had an outlet to the east and
a political preponderance in the
Danube basin.
France, however, believes the ter
ritorial independence and integrity
of Czechoslavakia vital factor IN
it's program of national defense and
will not remain passive If II be ser.
iOusly impaired. Foreign Minister
Delbos said, recently, that France
will "actively" assist Czeehnslavakia