GENEVA SENSATION

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 514, 24 April 1933, Page 7

GENEVA SENSATION

JAPANESE DELEGATES HINT AT PREVENTIVE WAR. GGNSIDERED AGAINST RUSSIA. London, Saturday. A sensation ha 3 been caused at Geneva hy the Japanese delegation's frank admission that a "preventive" war against 'Russia was being seriously considered by Japan. Russia is known to he exceedingly apprehensive over the penetration of Jap'anese troops to the Russian frontier in North-east and North-west Manchuria. Japanese military circles and newspapers often discuss "the inevitability of preventive war," designed toi consolidate the position of Manchukuo, to j dissipate the Communist'menace and | to acquire the rich maritime province of Eastern Siberia. Advocates of war argue that, whereas Japan is ready now for war, she cannot long sustain her present military expenditure. The existence of these views is oflicially confirmed by M. Matsuoka, leader of the Japanese delegation to the League. In a foreword to a Japanese pamphlet privately circulated at Geneva, he says: — "There are two trends of thought in Japan r'egarding Russia. One holds that the Soviet menaces Japan hecause of her ' efforts to -spread Bolshevism in the Far East, also hecause of her military development. "These Japanese think that Japan • should strike the Soviet before the menace fully materialises. The oth'er school, to which I suhscribe, considers that the issu,es can he settled by diplomatic means." This statement has confirmed Russia'® worst fears, hecause the military party, which jtavours war with Russia, now dominates Japan. M. Matsuoka and other moderates have lost their influence. No wonder M. Voroshiloff express'ed anxiety re- 1 cently. Japan ha® plans for the inyasion of ]

North China and the capture of Peking. Th'ere is no clear dividing line between Inner and Outer Mongolia. The extension of hosilities in this negion is almost bound to lead to complications with Russia.