I have been favoured with a copy of a neat
little pamphlet which I understand Japanese booksellers are slipping into any book or parcel of books which they send to this country. It is entitled " Why ? Who ? How ?" and offers soothing and satisfying replies to questions by a perplexed foreigner regarding the war in China. From it any untutored English reader will learn much. He will learn, for example, that " Japan's action is not aggressive but defensive." " Japan's aim is ' not territory but co-operation ' ; and there is no question of infringing the Nine Power Treaty . . . Japan has acted solely to defend herself ; the fighting was not of her seeking."
" Peace will only return when China brings herself to see the error of her ways."
" Japan is fighting to bring about a better future, not only for the Japanese but also the Chinese themselves."
The Japanese must rate the intelligence of the potential readers of this stuff singularly low. But no doubt they do.
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