Evening star., 1939-06-15
Britain and Jupon

Current Anglo-Japanese friction
In. China is motivated by a specific
incident-refusal Of the British to
surrender four Chinese domiciled in
their concession at Tientsin, who are
charged with murder of a japanese
bank official-but its fundamental
cause lies far deeper. Throughout
the undeclared war on China, the
Japanese have looked upon Britain
as the villain in the piece. They
viewed with mounting displeasure
Hong Kong's use as the bottle-neck
through which most foreign NUM-
tions and other war sinews reached
Chang Kai-shek's armies.
1t was only when Canton fell that
Honk Kong's Importance as a base
of supplies was Cancelled. A Japa-
nese-dominated Canton also spelled
the doom of Britain's vast South
China trade, already dealt a heavy
blow at Shanghai. One pin prick
after another was devised by the
Nipponese war lords to exhibit their
irritation with Britain. The near
fatal bombing incident which befell
the former British Ambassador to
China, Sir Hughe Montgomery
Knatchbull- -Hugessen, at the hands
OF japanese airmen, while followed
by the usual apologies, was too good
an example of craftsmanship to
have been quite the accident" Toxic
claimed it to be.
Anglo-Japanese tension since July,
1887, periodically rose to a point
which caused fears that the Toxic
war party might venture the seizure
of Hong Kong With a preponder-
ance of naval power in the Far East
and air bases in South China from
which bombing attacks on the Brit
ish crown colony can easily be
launched, Japanese raid on Hong
Kong would not be militarily i'm
practicable, though 1t would, of
course, be undertaken at the risk Of
war with Great Britain. From such
conflict the more extreme japanese
militarists might not shrink if they
felt assured that simultaneous COM
plications in Europe would absorb
Britain's energies.
Even now the Japanese blockade
Of the British concession at Tientsin,
in retaliation for the withholding of
the Chinese murder suspects, is said
to be the result of Japanese-G German
teamwork" the idea being to use it
as lever to divert Londons energies
from completion of a mutual assist
ance pact among Britain, France
and Russia. 1t would not be the first
example of such cooperation among
the Far Eastern and European
branches of the -Comintern
"axis." Japan chose recurrent crises
over Spain and Czecho- -Slovakia to
essay major moves like the occupa-
tion Of Hainan. Within recent weeks,
she took action in the Spratly
Islands and at Annoy, at moments
when it looked as if Polish German
controversies might again turn the
gaze of the Western powers away
from Asia.
The British government informed
Parliament yesterday that it is con-
sidering possible measures of re-
prisal against the blockade action
at Tientsin and is keeping in close
contact with Washington and Paris.
The French concession is also block
AIDED. The United States has no
concession in the famous Chinese
port, but possesses important busi-
ness interests there, which are
affected by Japan's measures. Mean
time Japan has submitted stiff terms
with which she insists the British
must comply, including abolition of
various economic, political and pro-
tective regulations that are said to
be operating in favor of the Chinese
and against the military necessities
of Japan.
Britain, as well as the other West
ern powers, has put up with a good
deal Of high-handedness from Japan
during the past two years. They risk
incalculable loss Of face" if London
yields to the mailed fist pressure now
being put upon British prestige at
Tientsin.