Fortifications in Marshall and Caroline Groups

League Inquiries and British Attitude

BRITAIN’S inquiries of Japan regard ing the reported fortification of Pacific islands under Japanese mandate (Mar shalls, Carolines, Mariannes, etc.) have elicited from Tokio a denial that for tification is being carried out and an assurance that construction activities on the islands are confined to improvement of harbours.

It is understood that the matter will be allowed to rest there, as far as Britain is concerned, for the time being (says the London correspondent of an Australian newspaper).

Evidently British official quarters are not unduly apprehensive.

It is believed that fortifications would not be considered as constituting a threat to Australia, New Zealand, India, Singa pore or Britain’s Far Eastern possessions.

British policy is being increasingly aimed at preserving the friendly relations of Britain and Japan, consequently the Government would almost certainly abide

by the experts’ opinions unless political pressure compelled official action.

This attitude apparently also applies to Japan’s cotton concessions in Dutch New Guinea.

The Netherlands, one of the most active of the small League Powers, has championed the League’s cause largely in the interests of the Dutch East Indies, which it believes may one day become a major test case for the League’s sys tem of collectivity. It is assumed in Lon don that the Dutch would not have granted the concessions unless they were satisfied that they would in no way jeopardise peace in the Pacific.

The report of the League Mandates Commission reveals the full discussions of the alleged Japanese fortifications on the mandated islands in the Pacific. It appears that a German business-man named Richard Voigt, long a resident of Japan, who visited a mandated island for health reasons, complained to the League of “intolerably vexatious and suspicious supervision.” He said that he was watched night and day, and con tinually interrogated by the police.

Voigt did not conceal his belief that the reason he was shadowed was fear that he would pry into “public works” which actually were fortifications.

Other allegations against Japan, which the commission considered, related to the enormous increase in munition imports to the mandated islands.

The commission decided that the con tradictory reports with respect to the Japanese actions in the Pacific were dis turbing, and that the uneasiness would continue while impartial and independent witnesses were not freely allowed to visit the islands.