在沪日侨与近代上海公共租界市政决策--以1935年至1936年反对电话加价运动为个案

公用事业价格议定是近代市政决策的一项重要内容,能否充分参与其中,是衡量市民权是否充分伸张的指标之一。1935至1936年反对电话加价运动中,在沪日侨通过用户代表请愿、工部局日籍董事力争、纳税人提案和日籍电话专家介入调查等方式,对租界市政决策形成了一定的舆论压力和行政阻力,影响了电话价格厘定。公共租界相关议政和决策机制的存在,使日侨民意表达渠道保持了相对畅通,近代日本在上海全面干预的总方针也无疑促成了日侨在租界电话价格议定过程中的发言权。     

Italian Involvement in the Arab Revolt in Palestine, 1936–1939

Italian involvement in the Arab Revolt in Palestine (1936–1939) was perhaps the most explicit example of Rome's attempt to destabilize London's position in the Middle East, prior to Italy's entry to the Second World War. This article examines the mechanisms of Fascist Italy's assistance to the rebels in Palestine, focusing on the secret contacts between Italian officials and the Mufti of Jerusalem, Hajj Amin al-Husayni. It describes the financial support given by Italy as well as the attempts to smuggle arms to Palestine. The article also analyses Rome's diplomatic manoeuvres in connection with Palestine and its pro-Arab propaganda. It is argued that Italian policy in Palestine was governed by, and subordinate to, wider considerations of Italian policy such as imperial competition with Great Britain and a desire to increase Italy's influence in the Middle East. In fact, Fascist involvement in the ‘first Intifada’ teaches us more about Italian foreign policy than it does on the course of events in Palestine during the Arab rebellion.     

Selling Goodwill: Peter Russo and the Promotion of Australia-Japan Relations, 1935-1941

This article examines the contribution of Dr Peter Russo (1908-1985) to Australia-Japan relations from 1935 to 1941. Born and educated in Australia, Russo went to Japan in 1931 as the recipient of a travelling scholarship, and in 1934 he was appointed to a lectureship in modern languages at the Tokyo University of Commerce. In 1935, acting in his capacity as delegate for Japan's principal organisation for international cultural relations, he undertook a successful lecture tour in Australia, and in the same year acted as adviser to Japanese diplomat, Katsuji Debuchi, on a goodwill tour of Australia and New Zealand. Over the next five years Russo worked to consolidate these efforts, but as the Pacific War drew closer his loyalty to Australia was increasingly brought into question. The article will trace the development of Russo's role in promoting Australia-Japan relations between 1935 and his return to Australia amid suspicion and controversy in 1941.