Evening star., 1941-10-17

Konoye Quits

American relations precipitated by
the resignation of the Konoye cabi-
net should not be underestimate.
Prince Konoye stood for a middle
of-the-road policy. He is an i'm
perialist in the sense that he believes
Japan should and must eventually
dominate the Far East, but he thinks
Japan should attain that goal with
out taking extreme risks, such as war
with the EngliSh-Speaking powers.
He staked his political career on the
effort to make compromise ar
rangement with America, and he sold
the idea to the militariStS, who were
not averse to gaining bit more time
before taking drastic action in the
Far East, provided Konoye could get
America to call off its economic pres
sure and thus enable Japan to stock
up more oil and other vital raw ma
terials. On the other hand, Konoye
naturally had the enthusiastic sup
port of the true Japanese moderateS
mostly bankers and big business
men-Who want a real settlement
with Britain and America, wherein
Japan would function as the eco
nomic middleman in Asia and other
undeveloped parts of the world, with
Anglo-American backing.
Konoye's program was wholly de-
pendent upon his ability to get his
compromise arrangement soon But
the exploratory conversations"
which he initiated with Washington
quickly disclosed the fact that any
concessions he had to offer would
have to be paid for by Americas
abandonment of China That was
something which Washington would
not even consider. So it presently
became clear to every one that
Konoye's efforts were foredoomed to
failure.
Washington was willing to continue
the negotiations, because it wished
to avoid a showdown with Japan,
particularly at time when things
were going SO badly in Russia. But
the Japanese militarists were not of
the same mind. Economic pressure
was hitting Japan hard and time
was running against them. Even the
navy, traditionally averse to war
with America and Britain because it
realized the risks involved, tended
to swing over to the army jingoes,
preferring to take long chances
rather than see Japan's fleet and
merchant marine become poWerless
from lack Of oil. This swingover of
the navy, emphasized by the bellicose
utterance of its spokesman, Captain
Hiraide, director of naval intelli-
gence, showed that Konoye's time
was up. Refusing to be responsible
for breach with America, he had
to 60.
1t is difficult to see how Konoye's
fall can mean anything short of
bankruptcy for his policy of COM
promise. Although a temporary
stop-ga cabinet may succeed him,
1t Is apt to be merely a smoke screen
behind which the militarists can
make their final preparations before
openly assuming power. The next
real government of Japan logically
should consist of generals and ad-
mirals, plus the heads of the patriotic
societies, all resolved to strike for
the rapid realization of their cher
ished new order in East ASIA" no
matter what the immediate cost.
This does not mean that such
government deliberately would make
war on America and Britain. 1t does
imply, however, that Japan would
take aggressive steps against Siberia,
Thailand or the Dutch Indies, which
might we'll compel America and
Britain to take counter measures out
OF which war probably would arise.
Already public men in the United
States, such as Senators Norris and
Pepper, are urging that japanese
aggression be stopped dead in it's
tracks, If necessary by cleaning up"
Japan, so as to have a freer hand
against Germany. Sentiment seems
to be stiffening and hardening on
both sides.