CRASH LIKELY IN FAR EAST.

Shannon News, 6 September 1927, Page 4

CRASH LIKELY IN FAR EAST.

THREE NATIONS WORKING AGAINST EACH OTHER.

The position in Manchuria is acute, on account of the clashing interests there of Russia, China and Japan. The situation in Manchuria resembles far too closely the situation there that led to the Russo-Japanese war in 1904 and 1905. The position is developing into a dangfer of a head-on collision. Internationally, Manchuria is the most dangerous place in the world. This statement was made recently by Dr. G. 11. Blalceslee, of Clark University, Massachusetts, in lecturing at Canterbury College on “The Problems of the Pacific.” There were three outstanding issues. China, Japan and Manchuria. China wajs passing through an (intellectual and cultural renaissance, and a political and a social revolution. . It never had been more united than at present in its demands for the full rights of a sovereign State. Seldom had it been so disunited in regard to military and political affairs. As Nationalists, the Chinese were demanding lights from other Powers, namely, full control over its own tariff,, expansion of extra-ter-ritoriality, and the return to China of the foreign treaty port concessions and settlements. Great Britain, Japan and the United States, the nations concerned, now were willing—possibly anxious —to give China complete control of its tariff, with some small restrictions. As to extra-territoriality, the three Powers were willing to sit down with China and negotiate and make changes modifying the present system, but nothing had been done. Great Britain was particularly interested in the treaty ports concessions and settlements. It had promised to negotiate an agreement for each concession and settlement, making the administration half Chinese, half British, under regulations; but nothing ha been done. Why ? Because there was no Government in China with which anybody could negotiate. What was wanted in China was a moderate Nationalism in control. Supposing China tried ito abolish all, .extra-territorial right, to take over all concessions and settlements, and to levy a tariff duty, what would take place? That was the present problem. The position in Manchuria was acute, on account of the clashing interests there of Russia; China and Japan. The situation in Manchuria resembled far too closely the situation there that led to the Russo-Japanese War in 1904 and 1905. The position was developing into a danger of a head-on collision. Internationally, Manchuria was the most dangerous place in the world. In Japan, there was an immense increase in population year after .year. The only thing for Japan was closer economic relationship between her and China. The key to the foreign relations of Japan was not New Zealand or Australia, or the United States. It was China. The Japanese were not thinking of making an effort to take lands in New Zealand, Australia or the United States. It proposed to do everything possible and reasonable to develop economic relations with China. In the United States it is believed that, unless there was terrible bungling by the statesmen of one of the countries, or of both, there was no prospect of war between the United States and Japan. A correct picture of Japan was a nation that had achieved a great miracle in political history. In two generations, it had taken a feudalised, Oriental country, and made it into one of the six Great Powers. It now found that it was uncertain whether it could maintain its economic position and standard. Going back to China, Dr. Blaikslee said that a feature of the position was the resentment felt by every educated Chinse against th superiority complex of the Europeans of the treaty ports. One of the world’s problems now, he concluded, was the relations between nations of the East and the West, and everybody should try to help to solve it.