Sir John Simon was able to report an effective diplo-
matic inquiry at Tokyo to a House which had been seriously' perturbed by what appeared to be the pre- liminary to further Japanese expansion in .China. He could do no less than accept the official Japanese pro- testation of devotion to the Nine Power Treaty of 1922, which had seemed to be threatened ;" but a good many members were insistent that vigilance should not be relaxed. Such incidents, of course, relock the disarma- ment deadlock, which shows no sign of loosening at all. Other announcements during the week have included the Governinent's co-operation in the new rubber restric- tion scheme and a broad hint from Mr. Thomas that the request of the South Afriean Government for the transfer of the native protectorates will not be granted off-hand.
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