Evening star., 1941-11-09

Shooting, with the tragic results to
be expected therefrom, has begun in the
undeclared war in which Germany and
tho United States each define the other
as the aggressor. But shooting, unless
Congress gives a more precise mandate
for attack as distinguished from defense,
Is likely for time to remain sporadic. At
the moment, hostilities between the
United States and Germany continue to
be most pronounced in the diplomatic
field.
Some of the advantages in this diplo-
matte struggle lie with the United States.
In Latin America for instance. this
country continues to gain ground, though
not without difficulty and continued Nazi
resistance. In Japan, however, the sit
uation is decidedly the other way. There
the scales of public opinion and official
policy are being steadily tipped further
in Germany's favor. And if our diplo-
macy is accomplishing anything to offset
this trend, the results are not yet percep-
tible.
1t Is well over year since, on Sep
tember q, 1910, the famous tripartite
accord among the governments of Ger
many, Italy and Japan was signed in
Berlin, on the part of Japan by AM
bassador Saburo Kurusu, now on his way
to Washington.
Under the first articles of this treaty:
@Japan recognizes and respects the lead
ership of Germany and Italy in estab-
lishment of new order in Europe" Un-
der the second article: Germany and
Italy recognize and respect the leader
ship of Japan in the establishment of
new order in Greater East Asia" Under
the third article, now most to the fore,
tho three powers undertake to assist
one another with all political, economic
and military means when one of the
three contracting powers is attacked by
a power at present not involved in the
European war or in the Chinese-Japa-
nese conflict"
Ups and Downs in Relations.
Since this treaty was signed there have
been both ups and downs in the rela-
tions between Japan and the United
States. There have been times when it
seemed quite possible that President
Roosevelt might negotiate a settlement
Of the Sino-Japanese War on terms
which would favor China, yet still result
in reputation of the Axis alliance by
Toxic.
But since the end of July, when WASH
ington ordered termination of all COM
mercial relations with Japan, such hopes
have been feeble. For the past three
months the drift toward complete rup-
ture between Japan and the United
States has steadily accelerated
The great majority of Americans, it
would seem, have only recently begun to
realize that war with Japan, as we'll as
war with Germany, is daily becoming
more Of a probability. The trend, how
ever, has not gone unnoticed in Berlin.
The expectation that this country can
be involved in large-scale war in the
Pacific is one of the trumps which Hit
Ter has long held. And the recklessness
with which American ships are now be-
ing torpedoed off Iceland is indication
that the Fuehrer thinks the time for
disclosing this card is now at hand.
Further evidence of Germany's re-
lance on japanese assistance was given
in the official statement on the Greer
and Kearny incidents issued from Ber-
lin on November /. This stated categor-
ically that in both cases the American
destroyers shot first "and that there
fore the United States had attacked Ger
many" That statement, German off,
cials hastened to add, did not mean that
the Reich intends Immediately to invoke
the third article Of the Axis alliance with
Japan, but was 'for the record"
Statement 'for the Record"
IN view of the wording of the treaty of
September 27, 1910, the disclaimers from
Berlin did little to soften the ominous
sound Of that statement "for the record"
In the last analysis not Berlin, but
Toxic, will decide whether or not Amer
lean participation in the battle of the
Atlantic constitutes an attack on Ger
many under the terms of the tri-partite
treaty. And tho japanese decision, of
course, will not be of a judicial nature,
but will be determined primarily by the
Tokio governments estimate of whether