The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 1932 THE EASTERN FRONT

Hokitika Guardian, 16 April 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corpora ted the West Coast Times SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 1932 THE EASTERN FRONT

■ Lr< lias been very quiet of late on I the Siuo-Jii-panese front, which so .lately oeeupiorl so much attention in j t]ie cabled news from the Far East. , A correspondent summing uj> the posi- | tion in a newspaper, wavs it wouid s | require a powerful microscope to deI teefc any avdvalutage Ja.pait had for herself out of Shanghai. The in- ' vasion was considered an act of desperation. Ihe aim was to stop the • , boycott of Japanese trade, which had l been lost following Japan’s seizure of j Manchuria;. Ajs an outcome of me j visitation to Shanghai, Japan did i little more than occupy a mud flat, , and the ruins of the Chinese' industrial centre at Chapei. On the other ■ sjde of the ledger, says the corresJ pondent, Japan earned universal ' odium aud distrust-—-and the boycott I goes on! Many Japanese traders linvn ! gone hack to Japan their occupation i gone, The boycott is real, though the Chinese Government assures Japan it has nothing to do with ft, 1 The Chinese threw away anything of : Japanese origin. One report says | that there were so many Japanese pots j and pans thrown into the streets by 1 householders, that the authorities had jto crush the mounds of discarded i utensils with steam rollers to clear j the thoroughfares! The Chinese are very thorough in their effort,s to 'stamp | out Japanese trade. Even the sclioolj hoys join loyally in the efforts and risk j their live,; before the Japanese solI diory to show their contempt. This picture of the situation gives a closer ; insight into the rival relatione of the j two yellow races. Apart from the situation itself, it is declared that Japan has altered also the internation- ■ al outlook. A little while ago and •di .armament was something to eon- i jure with. But Japan’s overt act, and , the dealings with the League of .Nations, have revealed a state of pop* sihilities wlijcli suggest it would not he wise for any Power of influence to | jeopardi-;:» its national security . ;my wen king too far its de- ' I tensive resources. There is also > Japan's aggressive nets in Manchuria, which, have likewise incensed the | Chinese, and given a warning to the | Powers to ho prepared for all kinds | •of .eventualities in international ns- J pirations. In a study of the position, if is (minted out that when the boycott was attempted on Britain and carried out to a disturbing extent, Britain met the situation with conciliation, and achieved good results. Japan's methods of force have proved fruitless, and adder) enormously fo the penalty which the country must continue to carry. while many of its nationals have had to leave the country ami return (<> Japan. Japan will require to make a fresh start, and endeavour to win the good will of Chirm. Imt obviously, with I Im* little war of such laic memory, it will not he easy to do. Japan Ims blundered badly an 1 must at temp’ a new and less militant pnliey in redeem the s'ilualion which of her own 'nuking, 'len'it in"’ it is to lie feared the qitesiion of dvanrnm.M’t on any pretentious scale will he postponed. (ill lot ’nuitieuol o; oii, n os aeain in trim lor a seriou-- confercm-c. l’’or I lie time being fill's suhiect lias been put back J'|l|"i' imi' di ni t”'i ■ , arid l«i n • Powers will !"". , e to auai( internal ional develi plilellt.