Evening star., 1941-10-20

The main eX- David Lawrence.
cuse for secrecy is that third
power might muddy the waters.
Doubtless Nazi masters of intrigue
on the one hand or overzealous and
suspicious Chinese on the other
could make it difficult for negotia-
tions TO be conducted in the open,
but this does not erase the fact that
II war between America and Japan
comes it will be exactly what these
third powers want.
1t is incredible that, with all the
accusations of War-making heaped
upon dictatorial governments and
all the virtue claimed by demo-
cratic governments because their
processes of coming to a decision
are free and hence subject to the
correctives of an alert public opin-
ion, the American dispute
has been permitted to grow to the
danger point without the slightest
effort to inform public opinion in
either country.
II war does come it will have to
be accompanied by the most general
of statements to the effect that
Japan is hostile to our interests and
that America is hostile to japanese
interests. Whatever constructive
efforts might have been made to
work out a peaceful relationship be-
tween the two countries would then
IN retrospect be subject to no cor
rection or revision because it would
be too late.
Outlines of Conversations.
It is not necessary to disclose
the details of the conversations but
only the main outlines. Did the
United States make any proposal to
resume trade with Japan and what
were the conditions? Did Japan
gree to withdraw from French
faith and on what conditions? Did
the United States agree to help
bring the Japanese Chinese war to
an end and on what conditions? I
Did the Japanese agree to drop
their treaty with the Axis and on
what conditions? These are ques-
tions suggested by the trend of
events. They are perplexing points
and 1t Is a risky thing to entrust
their solution altogether to secret
diplomacy In either country.
Today in Japan due to the control
over the press exercised by the
Nad propagandists much has been
made Of the fact that America Is
actually giving money and supplies |
to China. When nation has been .
engaged for years in a struggle with .
a neighbor, and a third party comes
along and furnishes military and .
financial aid, 1t doesn't make that
third party seem to be without hos .
tile purpose. That's the japanese .
viewpoint. To this the American
counters-When the whole world is
engaged in a struggle of unprece-
dented proportions and Japan
ranges herself alongside the ag-
gressors - Germany and Italy-it
doesn't make Japan seem friendly
to the United States or to the main
tenance of world peace in the
future. /
The misunderstanding are many
and they require the genius of
craftsmanship plus an informed pub
lie opinion to help settle them.
The new japanese cabinets policy
Is a source of apprehension in
Washington. The new Foreign
Minister-Shigenoir Toeo-who has
been selected to aid Premier Toto
was Ambassador in Berlin in 1888.
He married German. But his stay
in Berlin was not happy one be-
cause he was trying to persuade
Hitler to withdraw the German
military men who were then advis-
ing Chang Kai-shek in China. His
pressure became so obnoxious that
through the alleged influence Of
Military Attache Oshima, a recall
was sent and Togo went to Russia.
Today Oshima is Ambassador at
Berlin and Togo is his superior at
Toxic.
Conference Suggested.
The japanese military element
thinks the time is ripe for action
against Russia and to interpose the
japanese feet against American
shipments to Siberia. These ele-
nents have as their strongest talk
Ing point the charge that America
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