NEWS OF THE WEEK
AFTE.R giving a diplomatic reply to pointed questions and representations by the Ambassadors of Great Britain and France regarding her "Hands off China" declaration Japan announces that she considers the incident closed. Sir Jolm Simon had already declared in the House of Commons that he was content to leave the question where it was. The incident may technically be closed, but the impression it created persists. Japan says, in effect, that she -did not mean to declare what she was universally understood to declare. But the question is whether she means to act in the spirit of what she was understood to declare. The original statement of April 18th, which was interpreted as the proclamation of a Japanese Monroe Doctrine for the Far East, did not stand alone. On April 22nd the Japanese Ambassador at Washington told the Washington Star that Japan wishes -to -be consulted by those. who want to- deal with China before concluding any transactions-" and that "Japan Must act and decide alone what is good for China," since "the Western nations know nothing about Chinese mentality." And the Japanese Consul- General at Geneva was good enough to assure local jour- nalists that Japan "would accept" League aid to China so far as it was well used by China and not used against Japan. All of which indicates the assumption by Japan of an attitude towards China wholly- incompatible with the principle of the legal equality of independent States, and of the Nine Power Treaty which Japan signed.
