IN MANCHURIA

Hokitika Guardian, 23 January 1932, Page 6

IN MANCHURIA

JAPAN MARKING TIME,

GOOD CASE FOR THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

CHRISTCHURCH, January 21. “J. think that- at the present time we don’t hear of any development of hostilities in Manchuria, as the Japanese are marking time in order to present a good case to the League of Nations,” said Air 11. F. von Haast, of Wellington,’ who recently returned from the conference of the Institute 0 f Pacific Relations at Shanghai and is visiting Christchurch.

Air Von Haast said that it was claimed by the Chinese that several of the incidents,"such as the blowing up of railways, .attributed to them were done at Japanese instigation. It was also alleged that the Japanese were responsbile for some of the attacks by bandits. Bandits were one of tqe scourges of China, roving over the country and making life unsafe Tor all. The menace was such that, with Communists and war lords, the bandits were upsetting the whole of China. On that account there arose the great difficulty that China seemed unable to govern -herself.

JAPAN’S VAST INTERESTS. Tlie .Japanese had vast interests in Manchuria, including gold mines and railways, which they wanted to protect. The Japanese did not migrate to any great extent and the number in Manchuria was comparatively small, consisting chiefly of merchants, offi-. cials and traders. The bulk of the farmers were Chinese, and something like two million Chinese entered the district periodically. Thus there was the singular position of the Japanese taking over the country to protect their interests, following the failure of the Chinese to establish a stable Government.

The Chinese and Japanese were very dependent on each other, stated Air von Haast,. and it was really vital fo r both of them that they should come to some agreement and avoid war. If the League, of Nations could keep them from ohe another’s throats, long enough for some sort of an agreement to be reached, it would justify ids existence. It- Lad been suggested that a solution was for Japan to take over the economic government and China to have sovereignity, but that seemed to be out of the question.

NO STABLE GOVERNAIENT. The whole trouble in China was the lack' of a stable Government, and until that was obtained he failed to see how the country could progress at all. He could not see how they would arrive at a stable Government unless <t "strong dffitatoi-"came to the front. Air von Haast said that the Chinese seemed determined to evade their obligations entered into with Japan. They were building parallel railways to take away the trade from .tile railways controlled by the Japanese, and were trying to make an opposition port to Dairen, that was controlled by the Japanese. He could only assume that the Russians were keeping quiet because there was some arrangement with Japan by which they would get some concession for non-interfer-ence in ATnnebnria.