DEFINITION OF TERMS

Press reports yesterday afternoon indicate that China has expressed willingness to accept the peace terms offered by the powers, while Japan has rejected mediation quite definitely. This is only another indication that the Japanese are determined to wage what amounts to war in all but name against the advice and moral convictions of the whole civilized world.

This brings into stronger relief the most important feature of the present situation, namely that the vital issue up to the world now is to decide whether it can stand by and watch Japan use war as an instrument of policy in direct violation of her international obligations. This question is discussed in a letter in today's CRIMSON, the main argument of which the CRIMSON approves heartily. The problem has become a much broader one than the mere determination of the justice of Japan's grievance, and it is unquestionably up to the powers acting in cooperation to take drastic action to curb the Japanese immediately. Otherwise it may be too late, and the world will have to reproach itself with the greatest calamity since the dark days of July and August 1914.