Evening star., 1936-12-25
FASC|SM DIVIDES
JAPAN'S LEADERS
Lines Formed for Bitter
Battle, With Liberal
Factions Gaining.
BY FRANK H. HEDGES

BY FhANh n. nEDOLS.
BY Radio to The Star.
TOXIC, December 25 CN.AN.A).-
The wave of panic that swept over
Premier Hirota and other members Of
the japanese government-even over
most of the members of the privy coun-
cil-has now subsidized and they have
returned to sanity and balanced
viewpoint, a normal and realistic out
look on the world and on Japan's
position therein. That panic, appar-
emily due to fear that Soviet Russia
was about to strike an armed blow at
Japan through Chinese channels, has
cost the empire dearly.
Because Of it, the Toxic government
concluded an theological pact with
Fascist Germany aimed at combating
Communism. Since such an agreement
seems scarcely worth the trouble Of
signing and is so obviously unneces-
sary to secure the end desired, it
aroused suspicious that there must be
also a secret German-Japanese mill
tary alliance against Soviet Russia.
In addition there developed the corol-
larry suspicion that Japan had entered
the Fascist bloc of nations.
The price that Japan is being called
upon to pay from the internal political
standpoint is as great or greater al
though 1t gives promise of ultimately
destroying the dominant power of the
militarists and setting Japan once
more among the normal nations. This
. latter struggle Is now definitely under
way, and on its outcome much de-
pends.
Diet C0nvenes Tomorrow.
If Japan is to go Fascist, then a
fegrouping of the nations of the world
must take place. II Japan is to eschew
Fascism and military dominance, then
the bloc of genuinely democratic
powers will be materially strengthened
q The Imperial Diet will formally
convene tomorrow and then adjourn
until late January, when it will re-
convene for business. This first con-
vocation in December is purely
. formal. 1t will be at the reconvening
. IN late January that the first major
Liberals will be staged
Leading members Of all parties are
, planning to attack the government
because Of the gigantic budget, with
: its disproportionately large military
: and naval appropriations and the ac-
companying tax revision and bond
issues entailed. They will attack the
= government because OF its trend
toward state socialism. particularly in
the Standardization of the elec-
trio power industry. They plan still
other attacks on the German agree
nient. on the failure Of the China
and Russia policies and on the agita-
tion for the reform OF the parlia-
raentary system sought by the mill
tarists. which. II put into effect, would
end democratic institutions in Japan
Anti-Fascists Ready.
But the snti-Fascists are not watt
ing until January to begin their
campaign. 1t Is already well under
way. So Is the campaign Of the
Fascists.
The minister of war, Count HiSaichi
Terauchi, was plainly on the defensive
during interpretations in the commit
tee meeting charged with considering
plans for parliamentary reform. The
army was accused of seeking to estab-
lish . military dictatorship and to
turn Japan into . Fascist camp. This
Count Terauchi denied, but it re-
mains a fact that the policies the
army is seeking to implement are
Fascist in nature.
The army would emasculate the
Diet, would make it impossible for
party man to serve as premier would
place all financial institutions under
the dictatorial control Of the minister
of finance, would create both a sort
of super-government of semi-perma-
nent officials to determine national
policies and an economic general staff
to control all finance and industry. 1t
looks with favor on creation of a new
political party of the extreme Right
lists which would be to it what the
Communist party is to the Moscow
government, the Nazi party to Hitler.
Fascist Forced Out.
It is this unmistakable trend toward
fascism that has aroused the liberals,
the believers in party government and
the capitalists. They are already in
action, and most of the government
ministers are with them.
The resignation Of Shigeru Yoshida
as director of the cabinet inquiry
bureau has been demanded and ac-
cepted. Mr.. Yoshida is one Of the
younger bureaucrats, is an out-and-
out Fascist and thinks as one with
the more extreme militarists. In the
post he has just been forced to quit |
he was a real power, since most of the
data appearing before the cabinet had
first to pass through his hands.
The Hirota government had scarcely
taken office before Mr.. Yoshida ad-
vanced the scheme Of a super-govern-
rnent, to be placed over the regular
cabinet. This is now definitely re-
jected and Is a dead issue unless the
Fascists are powerful enough to re-
vive it.
Another liberal victory must be
chalked up in the decision of the
finance minister not to advance his
scheme for creation Of an economic |
general staff which would virtually |
control all finance and industry. |
Finance and industry have raised such |
an effective protest to this plan that |
1t has frightened the finance minister |
away from it.
On the other hand, the extreme |
Rightists are organizing political |
party combining all Fascist elements.
They are. as always. proclaiming their
patriotism from the housetops. They
would continue with Japan's foreign
policy as the policy of the mailed fist.
The Fascist-liberal battle now in