The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-10-20

ganl1Nton, ana so is again timely.
 On Sept, 2l, 1881, the Chinese gov- ernnient appealed to the old League of Nations "to take immediate stops to prevent further development of Q situation endangcring the peace of the nations"--the occupation of Mukden, Manchuria, by Japanese troops on Sept, ls,
 What had actually happened was that the Japs set off Q bomb on the railroad tracks outside Mukden, then sent their troops in to mas- Saore the Chinese garrison of 10000 men, The Jap story was that the Chinese had planted the bomb to wreck 0 fast express due ut the time. Unfortunately for the Jap story, 1t developed later that the train had already pulled into the Mukden station before the bomb went off, But the Japs explained that by saying that the engine and train had jumped" over the rail under which the bomb had been planted, and they actually produced the rail, bringing 1t into court in It's undamaged condition, as evidence,
 For months, the League of Ma tlons didn't get around to doing anything about this historic train wreck which was to lead up to wrecking the whole Far East, but in January, 1882, Q commission of five members was appointed to in. Vestigate The Earl of Lytton was named head, and though the United States was not member of the League, General Mccoy was named as 0n American representative,
 Mccoy had served as director general of the American Red Cross relief mission to Japan after the 1923 earthquake, knew all the high Japanese from old Baron Tanak0 on down, and was one of the few Americans for whom the Japs had e healthy respect. This was of eN- treme value to the Lytton commis- sion, which In its investigations on the ground constantly ran into Jap obstruction,
 LAPS TOLD TRUTH, FOR ONCE
 The Commission arrived in Tokyo Feb. 20 and was received by the ems peror. The Jap Foreign Office, strangely enough, cooperated with the Commission, produced records and witnesses and did not lie. But events in Manchurla were in the hands of the military clique led by General Doihara, which took the bit in Its teeth, created Manchukuo, set up Henry Pu-Yi as puppet ruler, and did just about as 1t pleased without reference to Tokyo, which didn't know what was going on.
 The Japs in Manchuria also pro. duced witnesses, but they were oil primed to tell the most fantastic stories, such as the one about the leap -frogging train. Also, the Japs took very solicitous interest in protecting tho Commission mem- bers from Korean and Chinese Ns- sassins," one afteroon, for instance, Lytton and Mccoy tried to slip out the back door of their quarters and put in round of golf They had lust teed off when Q big detachment of Jap cavalry swooped down on them nt ,a gallop, and insisted in protecting them Nll around the course. t
 The Commission. completed It's in. yestigations and finished It's report In Pieplng in September. It found that a "war In disguise" existed be. tween Japan and China and recon. merded as . peaceful solution the granting of autonomy to Manehuria with tho conditions that China have full control of Manchurian foreign relations, customs, postoflieo, taxes and tho naming of the Manchurian chief executive. Although tho Lytton Commission found Japan the ag- groSsor, it gave the Chinese hell for their abuses in administration, ana it dil temporarily stop the Shoot' ing in Shanghai
 THERE'S A MORAL
 But tho League had no authority to enforce It's decisions, and the JapS wont inerrily ahead with the raps of tho Orient,
 Som. plaeo in this story therO should be c moral for tho supporters of the new United Nations charter drafted at DulnbHrton Oaks, calling 1 for the creation of military orgaiiiz' ntion to prevent aggression by forc' of arms {: necessary
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