Evening star., 1937-02-12
nv FRANK H. HEDGES.

BY FRANK H. HEDGES.
TOXIC, February IL (N.A.N.A).-
As it aims to destroy the existing polit-
tcal parties by repeated election CAM
paigns, the Japanese Army Is also
striving nightly to build up new
party, based on the extreme right wing
of thought in Japan, drawing into its
fold as many of the old-line party men
as possible.
This new party will be absolutely
the creature of the war office, subser-
Went to it's slightest wish. When, in
one of the forthcoming elections, this
right wing party manages to capture
control of the Diet, the army will sit
back and rule through the trappings
of Democratic forms of government
from which the substance has been ex-
tracted.
Less Than 80 Eligible For Post.
An imperial ordinance DEGREES that
the minister of war in Japan must be
a field marshal, general or lieuten-
ant general in the active service. There
are fewer than 80 men holding such
high office. Hence, those 80, by acting
as a group, can wreck any cabinet or
prevent the formation of a new one.
So long as all of them refuse to serve
as minister of war, no cabinet can be
formed This is the trump card that
the army holds in the political game,
and it never hesitates to play 1t.
These are the fundamentals OF the
Japanese political situation. On one
side are the army and the extreme
right elements, seeking to establish a
japanese version of fascism with the
military in control On the other side
are the political parties and the capi-
talists, striving to divert this move
ment and bring about return to
genuine democratic government.
The liberals have the mass of the
people behind them without a queS-
tion, but the question does arise
whether they will be able to retain this
following None can answer that ques-
tion at present; time must be allowed
for it to work itself out.
Army Holds Self Purified"
The Japanese Army insists that it
has purified" itself since the military
revolt of last year. 1t insists likewise
that the governmental structure OF
the empire must be renovated" and
that the parties must change their
views to accord with "the spirit OF
Japan"
When the program Of national
renovation" advocated by the army is
examined, it is found to be funda-
mentally the same as the program of
the rebels of last year, some Of whom
we're executed, some of whom are i'm
prisoned, some of whom are still
awaiting trial. The programs are
largely identical in regard to their
aims but, whereas the rebels advo-
Gated and practiced direct action by
assassination, the army leaders now
favor action through political chan
nels, as just outlined.
Nevertheless, If the army succeeds
In reaching its objective, very much
the same end will have been accom-
plished. Direct rule of the military
under the throne will have been
established; the rebels sought this.
National wealth will have been re-
distributed in part through increased
taxation and in part through State
control of industry, amounting in
some cases to confiscation; the rebels
championed this.
Every Liberal and Democratic
leader in the empire will have been
made a nonentity, insofar as influence
goes, through the capture of both
cabinet and Diet by the military; the
rebels favored their elimination, but
they adopted the simpler method Of
sword and pistol to bring it about.
Army Heads for Disaster.
The path along which the japanese
Army would lead the nation heads
straight for disaster. The army fails
to perceive this truth, but truth it
remains. Unless Japan abandon that
path, only tragedy and suffering lie
ahead. Thoughtful japanese realize
this; the masses at least sense it.
The nation as a whole is resisting the
army at present, but there can be no
certainty that this resistance will not
weaken under pressure which the mil
itary is able to bring to bear.
The military trend in Japan must
be altered sooner or later. That is
inevitable and beyond the power of
the Japanese or any other people to
stop. The Army's policy is policy
that is impossible of accomplishment,
as regards both foreign and domestic
affairs.
The question at issue is whether
the japanese as people will be sane
enough and strong enough to alter
this policy themselves, to reduce the
army to its proper sphere of defend
Z ing the empire from foreign foes, or
whether this will have to come about
as a result of war with some foreign
nation. It is bound to come-by one
method or the other. The question
Is: When and how?
: Copyright. 1887. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance Inc.)