Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-11-11
Public Dozes
AS Jap War
Peril Grows
johnson Can't See How
Peace Can Prevail
BY HUGH 5. JOHNSON

OONO N0ll on
BY HUGH 5. JOHNSON
ALL the Juror about immedi-
n ate warAw th Germany,
while justified by the facts,
seems TO be obscuring for the
public the fact that we are
likely TO be in war with Japan
before active hostilities COM
mence with Hitler.
There seems no way out.
However little one may agree
with the view that we have a
stake in the Orient worth fight
ing for the fact remains that
we have set up policy demand
ing certain things of Japan as
the price of peace, and nothing
that Japan has appeared willing
10 concede comes within miles
of even approXimating compli-
ance.
A SHOWDOWN is almost at
a hand after the long and
clever power game played by
both nations to avoid it.
We have emphatically an
nounced that we will not back
down. and the JapS are hardly
able TO back down without let
ting their tremendous if mis-
guided efforts for so many
years go for nothing.
The situation is almost gro-
tesque. We don't want war.
The. japanese people don't want
war. -
II is hard to say what verdict
history will write of our getting
into war with so little to gain,
so much TO lose, where we have
so little business, and on the
very verge of another war in
the Atlantic and beyond. 1t is
hard TO say, but if history of
other wars is any guide, the ver-
dict won't be flattering.
1t will probably be that we
did it to destroy a rival naval
power that we felt might some
day menace us and to preserve
the British Empire.
WHAT turn it will take or
w how it will end. no man
can say. l think it is likely TO
be an almost interminable naval
and commerce-destroying war.
This comes at a time when we
need not only all our navy but
also all the ships we can build
and otherwise acquire to fulfill
our other engagements to send
supplies, warships and possibly
armies across the ocean and half
way around the world.
1t seems to me about the
worst strategy that could be
adopted, but this column isn't
directed so much to that as it
is to VIII a seems to me the
almost complete lack of public
realization of what is happen
ing under our noseS-war with
Japan.
If it isn't ignorance it IS
apathy, but that is just as aston
iShing.
That people should be careless
OF the fact that we are about
to 60 all the way across the Pa
office Ocean to fight a war just
as we begin to engage in another
war all the way across the At
lantic, is simply incredible.
WHEN the Pacific war is over,
w even if it ends in complete
victory, what will we demand
there. what do we want there,
and what will we get?
We have wanted little. de-
manded less and got practically
nothing.
With Japan out of the way
as a menace to them, the Fill
pinos will again ask their indie
pendence and get it.
Then we shall be out of the
Orient bag and baggage, but in
the meantime shall have fought
a war costing billions more than
we have counted on yet, and
with little better reason than
that our government, as dis
tinguished from our people, de-
sires it.
1t is probably a waste Of
paper TO write this piece, be-
cause, unless all signs fail, il is
too late TO avoid war in the
Pacific.
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