ELECTION-DAY IN JAPAN

On Saturday Japan will hold general elections for the lower branch of the Diet, a body consisting of 466 members. The elections are being held to strengthen the power of the Conservative Premier Inukai; for at present the lower house contains a majority of the Liberal party which previously supported Premier Wakatsuki. This lower house, contrary to Western traditions, is rather limited in its powers. Yet it evidently has sufficient significance for the present Premier to dissolve it in the hope of a majority for his own party.

What is of interest to the rest of the world, however, is the fact that here is an opportunity for the Japanese people to show their attitude on the whole Sino. Japanese question. If they vote for the present government, then they will be endorsing all its recent aggressive policies. For it was Inukai who was responsible for the occupation of Manchuria; he lead the military attack on the boycott at Shanghal; and voted about fourteen million dollars additional for military expenditures in China.

From the beginning of the present conflict, writer have encouraged us to pity Japan because its civil government had no control over the rampant militant party. Generals near Mukden paid no heed to peace-loving officials at Tokyo. Now we shall see whether the sentiments of the people really are more civilized than those of their warlorda.

Yet in reality the feat will not be an accurate one. For if we are to believe numerous reports, the whole situation has been an effort on the part of the militarists to win the support of the people. And in all probability they have won that support, for such is usually the result of even the crudest of flag-waving policies. Once again history will probably repeat itself. As in Britain's late elections, the whole country may be expected to stand by the colors.