Evening star., 1941-11-02
u. S.>Japanese War Repeatedly
DELAYED on Advice of Britain
America Ready Two Weeks Ago to End Toxic
Threat, but Word Is Churchill Fears
Diffusion of Effort
By Constantine By0wn.

From the avalanche OF confidential"
of Washington reporters daily, it seems
likely that we shall be physically engaged
in conflict with the Axis powers some
time within the next few months. Where
and how is one Of the deep mysteries,
the answer to which must be sought in
London rather than in the Capital of
the United States.
At one time, two weeks ago-after the
fall of the Konoye cabinet and the ad-
vent to power of the pro-Nazi Gen. TOTO
everything pointed to an early conflict
with Japan But Prime Minister Church.
III repeatedly managed to diSsuade
President Roosevelt from such action.
Naval strategists point .out that We
are at the peak of our preparedness in
the Pacific, while the japanese still have
some way to go. While our tWo-ocean
Navy is not yet completed the Pacific
Fleet-to which the Washington and
the North Carolina considered the
strongest battleships in the world could
be added-is more than able TO cope with
the japanese. Without going into any
details. 1t can be said that the American
Fleet is superior to the Nipponese in
every category except aircraft carriers.
The japanese have more aircraft car
riers, but our vessels have a 5-to-3 su-
periority in the number of planes car
ried aboard this type of craft.
Question Of Morale.
1t can be said without eXaggeratlon
that the American personnel IS superior
to both the British and the japanese. 1t
is itching to get into a scrap With an
enemy. But morale. it is pointed out, Is
a delicate thing. Concern is expressed
confidentially in some naval quarters
that if our men are kept on the Pacific
vigil without coming to grips with an
enemy their morale may suffer. In some
quarters the thought is being expressed
that what the long inactivity in the
Maginot line did TO the French Army
may be repeated on the high seas if there
is little but wartime routine duty
without actual fighting. While this point
of view is not shared by the highest
ranking naval officers, nevertheless this
thought was in the minds Of many re-
sponsible policy trainers in Washington
when it was believed that President
Roosevelt was ready to give the Pacific
Fleet the green light for action.
1t happens however, that our strategy
does not dovetail with that of our friends
in Great Britain. The argument that the
Axis is chain, and that if We could
manage to weaken it by breaking link
somewhere it would be to our mutual ad-
vantage, is not accepted by the British
Prime Minister.
According to reports which are i'm
possible to check but which from cir
cumstantial evidence seem reliable,
Prime Minister Churchill became
alarmed when it was stated the United
States intended to brook no further
interference on the part of Japan in the
Far East and would retaliate at the first
opportunity. He is said to have COM
municated personally with President
Roosevelt and urged him to do nothing
rash. He believes that an American ac-
ton in the Pacific would divert so much
of the war material which is imme-
diately essential to Britain and to Rus
sia that America might sacrifice the
Atlantic and Europe-including Russia
for the sake Of a comparatively incon-
sequential victory in Japan.
Key to Victory.
London and Moscow are convinced
that the key to victory is in Europe: they
believe that the trend in Europe wouldn't
be changed by whatever successes We
might achieve in the Far East. 1t is
Hitler and Mussolini, they say, who must
be crushed to obtain peace in the world
and not the Japanese military clique
pale imitation of European dictators.
Our naval and military experts are
open-minded about this theory. But
they wonder where We could hit the
Axis in Europe in the near future. They
are convinced that Britain and Russia
will do we'll if they can maintain them
selves for the time being in their present
defensive positions. Should they succeed
in doing this, now that the winter has
set inland there seems to be no reason
why they should not-it will be some
time before they can take the offensive
In the meantime. it is believed we could