12 JULY 1935, Page 17

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

[Correspondents are requested to keep their letters as brief as is reasonably possible. The most suitable length is that of one of our " News of the Week paragraphs. Signed letters are given a preference over those bearing a pseudonym.—Ed. THE SPECTATOR.]

JAPAN'S ONWARD MARCH

[To the Editor Of DIE SPECTATOR.] Sin,—Since 1919 Japan has been acting as the Mandatory of the League of Nations for the former German Colonies in the Pacific North of the Equator, the Marshall, Caroline, and Marianne Islands. Japan vests her claims to the continued possession of these Islands not on the League's Mandate but on occupation and conquest in October, 1914, under an arrangement with the British Government, by which Japan was to undertake the subjugation and occupation of the German Colonies North of the Equator, and Australia and New Zealand the reduction of New Guinea, Samoa and other German possessions South of it.

The other. Powers concerned may now make up their minds to a permanent Japanese occupation, divorced of any international restriction. Japan has, in effect, moved 2,000 miles eastward towards the United States, and 2,000 miles southward towards Australia. Japanese writers speak quite openly of the islands—all told there are over 2,000 islands, atolls, and reefs—as " Japan's southern line of defence," just as Manchukuo is " the northern line." Under both the League Mandate and the Washington Treaty fortification is forbidden ; Japan having, however, denounced the Treaty, fortification can be resumed anywhere. Hitherto there has been no particular reason to suspect Japanese fortification anywhere in these islands although the League has drawn attention to " the relatively high outlay on harbour works," and has revealed a suspicion that "expenditure on harbours and channels has been disproportionate to the limited com- mercial possibilities." But whatever has or has not been done in the past Japan is now free to construct fortifications in the islands.

Other Powers are also free to construct fortifications elsewhere in the Pacific ; Japan in denouncing the Washing- ton Treaty did offer to discuss Article 19 of the Treaty forbidding this, to which no definite reply seems yet to have been given. Britain may strengthen her defences at Hong Kong, though with the immense expenditure in sight at Singapore this does not seem likely, but Hong Kong at best will only be an advanced base. In the lately mandated islands there is one small outpost of American territory, the island of Guam which, until the Washington Conference intervened, America proposed to fortify and develop. The Washington Treaty has come to an end but America shows no sign of resuming fortification. The American people at the moment arc in a mood of complete reaction from any expansion abroad. They are preparing to withdraw from the Philip- pines, realizing, apart from disappointment at the result of their political experiment there, that neither the Philippines nor Guam could be protected by their fleet except by efforts- out of all proportion to the prize. Guam is not worth fortify- ing if Manila is not fortified. More and more does the United States' Fleet tend to withdraw within her own territory.

The most that can be expected is that the United States will spend a good deal more on the fortifications of Hawaii. The. Hawaiian islands are outside the zone that could not be fortified and Honolulu is nearly 8,500 miles from Yokohama— no menace to Japan, but yet a protection to California and British Columbia. These events cannot but make Japan completely invulnerable in the Far East. No economic blockade against Japan, much less a war such as the British Labour Party is said to have been contemplating two or three years ago, is possible. A recent debate in the House of Lords made very clear how Japan is steadily securing control all over China. The same process has begun in Siam, where the recent revolution derived its inspiration from Japanese and " Asia for the Asiatic " sources, and the King lost his throne all because he was " pro-European." Siam has done Japan one or two good turns, and Japan obviously would now like to play a larger part in the development of Siam. Japan has now definitely decided to supply finance for a canal cut across the Isthmus of Kra. Not many people realize that Burma is not directly connected with the Federated Malay States and the Straits Settlements, but that a long narrow

strip of Siamese territory intervenes, a canal across which, if in hostile possession, would cut off Singapore from India. Futile efforts are now being made to make Singapore impreg- nable. Colossal sums are now spent in reconstructing and fortifying it. Japan smiles at this shocking waste of money. In Malaya the military garrison is pitiably weak and no war- ships are permanently based on Singapore. Nor would more warships be of any use in case of an outbreak of hostilities, for only a few could be spared from the North Sea.—Yours, &c.,

[Our correspondent is wrong in suggesting that the Wash- ington Treaty is at an end. It runs to the end of the year and no fortifications in the Pacific area covered by the Treaty are legal yet. —En. The Spectator.]