Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-11-12
Japan Appears Ready to Talk
Business With United States
Military Clique Appears Losing Ground as
Dissatisfaction Grows Over Long Struggle
to Subdue China
Bv Constantine Brovn.

Those who looked upon Japan as a
stanch member of the axis--the ap-
pendix which was to cause trouble for
the British and French in the Far East
admit now that they were wrong.
At the present time there are conf
Dental conversations between Washing
ton and Toxic which may have far
reaching effects on the kaleidoscope
world. These conversations, which have
not yet attained any official status,
were initiated by the Japanese them
selves. Years of experience in the Far
East. and especially the last seven years
of experience with Japan have taught
the State Department that if we ever
wanted to get working agreement with
Japan we must let Toxic realize that
they would have to come here and talk
real business. The administration keeps
an aloof attitude, for the time being,
toward the Nipponese Empire and pre-
tends not to listen to the whispers Of
the unofficial Japanese emissaries who
have been visiting Washington in the
last few weeks. Ambassador Joseph
Grew is tougher than ever in Toxic. He
speaks the mind of the American Gov
eminent with an unparalleled bluntness
to the official horror of the foreign Of
nee officials and the concealed delight
Of the same gentlemen.
The japanese government gasped
when the Russo-German agreement was
signed in August. The German Ambas-
sador in Toxic explained confidentially
that the alliance between the greatest
Communist-baiter in the world-Herr
Hitler-and the most vitriolic opponent
Of the Nazis-Tovarich Stalin-was only
temporary agreement to prevent Great
Britain and France from going to war.
He added that the policies Of the axis
Japan, Germany and Italy-remain fun
damentally the same. The Japanese UNI
derstood this; it was in keeping with
the best Oriental diplomatic traditions.
There were some individuals in the for
elgn office and in the upper house who
looked askance at this temporary mar
riage, but they were silenced by the pow
erful army leaders who in August still
had the complete confidence of the En-
peror.
Russian Agreement Fails.
AS time went by, and Germany sur
rendered the larger portion of Poland to
the U. S. S. r.. together with the Baltic
states. 1t became more apparent to the
Toxic government that maybe this mar
rage would last longer than was antici.
pated. The mild attempts Of the Japa-
nese diplomats in Moscow, acting under
the orders of the Toxic military, to reach
some kind Of an agreement with the
kremlin failed. Vladimir Potemkin as
sured the Japanese envoy of Russia's
best intentions toward her neighbor in
Siberia, but other more pressing things
such as agreements with the Bats and
the Turks had to be taken care of first.
At the same time in Japan opposition
to army policies was increasing swiftly.
The navy, which officially comes second
IN Importance to the army, had been
telling the Emperor that at the present
time conflict with the United States
would mean hopeless struggle from
the naval point Of view. The last Amer
lean war games in the Caribbean had
been followed very closely by the Japa-
nese naval experts, and they decided
that from every angle the American
Navy had an incontestable superiority
over the Japanese.
The first steps toward pacification of
the American Government were taken
by the Japanese admiralty without the
consent of the army. Important war
games had been planned in the spring
for the Japanese Navy near Borneo and
the Dutch East Indies. These maneuvers
were to take place approximately at the
time when the Japanese foreign office
was to press the Netherlands govern
ment for solution of the oil problem
IN the Dutch East Indies and ask that
the Dutch section Of Borneo should be
leased for 80 years to Japan. The ma
neuvers were Cancelled. Ships designated
for participation were ordered to stay
home and have their target practice In
Japanese waters.
Understand Grim Joke.
Japanese diplomats and naval officers
who have been frequent visitors to Wash.
ington had been cordially received here.
On more than one occasion. when the
question Of Japan's expansion in the
south was freely discussed over highbal1s,
the Japanese were laughingly told, Don't
worry, you will find us there If you 20
down that way" The Japanese as a
rule have but little sense of humor, but
they can understand a grim joke. The
Emperor. who now keeps close to every
thing that is going on, was told by his
admirals that the American Navy might
be sent to assist the helpless Hollanders
If they were attacked or bullied by the.
Japanese.
In support of this theory the adj
mirals noted the movements of Amer
lean Navy, how so many planes had been
sent to Honolulu. how quickly Pearl Har-
Dor had been placed on fighting basis
and how many American naval detach-
ments-cruisers, destroyers, subs-were
sent to Hawaii "for> no particular rea-
son."