Show Anything Can Happen the Canton government calling on the WITH V V government for united action to stop slop Japanese encroachments in the north Japan lost no time in informing the world that the South Chinese government had declared war upon her Formal declarations of war though seem eem to be a thing of the past Troops simply are arc put in motion and if it the resulting incidents become serious or prolonged conflicts the fighting lighting fight fight- fighting ing goes on until one side or the other has gained final advantage In Asia and in Africa the aggressors have kept at it until objectives have been won the vanquished quitting the field Japan at least has taken over ver mainland tern tern- tory ory on that basis and nd is carrying on without benefit of peace treaties II duce hopes his ad adventure adventure adventure ad- ad venture in Ethiopia may wind up the same way Saturdays Saturday's dispatches told of American war- war craft being on their way to Chinese ports ports to to await eventualities Sundays Sunday's news from China told of Japanese anti demonstrations ns' ns in Canton and and of the first clash bet between een Nan Nan- king and Cantonese troops It brought a quick order from Canton for the southern army to withdraw in prevent civil war var It is a badly mixed situation out of which events of great import may grow grow anything anything in fact may happen without warning Chinese armed politics is a peculiar thing though The southern army the army the Japa Anti nese National Salvation Forces as they are called may called may have the serious intention not of opposing Japan but of seeking an cx extension en ion of territory power and revenues at the expense of the government Facing the menace of communism of pressure from the south and recurring danger from Japan General Gener l Chiang shek Kai is in a bad way even if there are no immediate developments Despite Japanese encroachments encroachments encroachments en en- already recorded his forces at great costan men performed valiantly and creditably and checked the Japan Japanese se in their plans to take takeover takeover takeover over all the territory which they meant to dominate dominate dominate domi domi- nate and in which puppet states would be set UP up It seems to be quite evident that General Chiang is far from ready to meet Japanese ag ag- ag- ag Even when he be considers himself ready it is reckless to presume that he would be a match for it It must seem doubtful that united action by the Canton and governments could prevail over the Japanese Japanese Japanese-at at least without without without with with- out assistance from other nations friendly to China That would mean principally the United States Russia and Great Britain At present there is no indication whatever that any of ot these would do more than move to protect their nationals nationals na na- na in the Far East East but but even to essay t that at could precipitate a situation of extreme difficulty difficulty dUi dUi- culty and possible disastrous consequences I. I Each days day's news from rom the Orient gives new cause for apprehension Japanese forces on the mainland have ave been bee enormously of late ate Definite fears in In Japan that R Russia may mote move against her if she becomes heavily in involved involved involved in- in with China possibly may be regarded as a boon Japans Japan's present objective is to force Chinese recognition of Japans Japan's demand for the autonomy of and If China may be impressed by the strength of Japans Japan's forces n now w on the mainland to the point of yielding nothing of greater ness may come of it That Japan will do what she considers necessary necessary sary zary however r goes without saying Her previous previous previous pre pre- success in defying league pressure and her new contempt for it through its ils failure to stop Mussolini 1 in Africa have only bolstered her fighting spirit if it needed bolstering She is further fortified by Europe's desperate situation and by the attitude of the United States in respect re re- re- re of any re resort ort to arms Competent observers have repeatedly declared de- de de cl dared red that the danger of war even another world war is more ore menacing in the Far East than in Europe Every development in the past three months at least has served to gain credence for their forecasts of havoc |