The Manchurian Argument The Tokyo correspondent of The Times, commenting
on Japanese reactions to events at Geneva, remarks with much significance " what Japan desires is delay while Manchukuo gets an opportunity to consolidate itself." No one can doubt that those words accurately define Japan's policy for at least the last six months, or that it will be her policy for the next six months if the rest of the world is content to let things drift. That is one more reason for a definite declaration at Geneva against the recognition of Manchukuo. That matter has been argued this week by a sub-committee of five all of whose members except Sir John Simon are believed to favour such a course. The sudden- announcement of the renewal of diplomatic relations between Russia and China, broken oft after the China Eastern Railway dispute in 1929, has caused considerable disquiet at Tokyo, where an actual Russian recognition of Man- chukuo had been hoped for. True to her tradition of refusing everything, Japan is opposing Sir John Simon's proposal to .add the United States and Russia to the Conunittee of Nineteen as a special council of conciliation, which disposes of one more possible reason against the non-recognition-of-Manchukuo declaration.
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