Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1932 CHINA DECLARES WAR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 52, 1 February 1932, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1932 CHINA DECLARES WAR.

The crisis in the Orient has taken a dramatic turn with the reported declaration by Chinese authorities of war upon Japan. The central executive committee of the Kuomintang is stated to-day to be responsible for this decision,' which is not only deplored' throughout the world, but is causing deep seated alarm at the repercussions which are likely if saner counsels fail to prevail before it is too late. The Nanking Government, it is explained in a Shanghai message to-day, is subordinate to the executive authority of the Kuomintang, and it may be supposed that the belligerent elements have now taken command of the Government and are determined to resist the onslaughts of the Japanese to the utmost of the nation’s power. A significant fact is that General Chiang Kai-shek—who has since the crisis originated in Manchuria apparently been determined not to be stampeded into a formal declaration of warfare—and other important leaders have left Nanking. This suggests that the hotheads alone are now in charge at the capital. The whole world is perturbed 'at the deplorable turn in the tide of events in the Orient. Critical though the situation was in respect to the affair in Manchuria, it became alarming when the Japanese centred their attention on the hostile Chinese propaganda in Shanghai. Their attack on Chapei, an important suburb of the vast city, was not only regrettable, but was conceived without full regard for the consequences. China had submitted to the demands, but the Japanese naval authorities to protect their nationals from the general unrest launched their aerial display which was the precursor of other events leading to fierce fighting. But for these incidents it is reasonable to suggest that China would not have been provoked to the latest declaration. From the outset Japan has denied warlike intentions. She has claimed the right to protect her people and th'eir interests from the brigands let loose in Manchuria. With this seemingly accomplished and awaiting organised government in China before retiring to her sphere, of influence, Japan turned her attention suddenly to Shanghai, with a display of naval force to back up demands for a satisfactory reply to a request that attacks on Japanese civilians must cease and the boycott of merchants ended. This, the eleventh boycott to have been inaugurated by China against Japan 'since the fall of the Manchu Dynasty in 1911, was carried out with zeal. The United States is gravely perturbed over the developments, for fighting in Shanghai cannot be conducted without imperilling' the safety of those within the International Settlement. Damage already has been done there, and British, soldiers are reported to have been wounded. Open warfare too would halt trade with the Ear East. The United States also fears Japanese inter-

ference with her. spheres of activity in commerce, but it seems that at the moment there is far too much loose American talk of the crisis extending to envelop Japan and the United States. One immediate outcome if hostilities open on a much larger scale will be the stiffening of China’s resistance by the welding of the Southern and Northern factions, so that a very large army could be employed. But even so the superior resources of the Japanese must prevail. It could only be an uneven conflict with greater harm to China than the years of internecine strife have caused. Soviet Russia is a question mark. There have been rumours of a rapprochement between China and Russia, and if the latter could envisage in this crisis a suitable opportunity to wipe out the defeat of 1904 it might not hesitate to join China. A shot in Serajevo in 1914 set the world aflame. Unless wisdom rules Japan’s invasion of Shanghai may result in a conflict which it will be impossible to localise. Great Britain’s tremendous interests in the Far East give her vital interest in the crisis, but the Empire must be in hearty accord with Mr Ramsay MacDonald’s appeal to the belligerents to sheathe the sword and to permit commonsense and reason to solve the difficulties.. The Empire has no desire to be brought into the arena. The tragedy of the Far East has been bom of folly on the part of the two nations involved in the drama, but it is not too late surely to prevent the tragedy from developing into a conflagration embroiling other nations.