The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-05-29
Roosevelt Looking To Consolidating Japan
Omission of Japan From Speech ntentiOnal President Thinks War Element in Japan Is Not Permanent

ted 6taCeS HCCSptNhVS VI Sef~.sS obiectives in Asia nor Q assertion of the chinese to whom MT. Roose- welt has promised more and more military supplies. But an authortta- tive behind -the-scenes picture Of preparation for the fireside chat of the President Tuesday night indi. oates that there is hope of improv. ing conditions in the Far East. A participant in the pre-speech conference in which MT. Roosevelt outlined his remarks to compression. al leaders, said MT. Roosevelt had offered an interesting explanation why Japan was not mentioned di- rectly although the president re- peatedly pot-Shotted "Naxis" and once hit at "Fascists,"
 Japan Omission Intentional
 The explanation was that the omission of Japan" from the speech was intentional. MT. Roose- welt was represented as believing that the Japanese business classes would not forever submit to the leadership of the military clique which now controls Japan. In ex- pectation that the latter will be overthrown by Japanese business interests, MT. Roosevelt indicated that he did not want to offend those in Japan who might materially alter the nations policy by their own ef- forts.
 The president was represented as confident that the Far Eastern situ-. ation would develop in that way, the first intimation here that there was substantial hope of chipping Japan away from the Axis.
 Despite revelation of that concil- iatory aCtitude toward Japan, MT. Roosevelt yesterday extended the export licensing system to the Philippine Islands, thsu Subjecting exports from that territory to the same rigid restrictions imposed on vital defense materials produced in this country. The action was re- quested by the war department. pre-. sumably to establish strict control over the movement of vegetable oils and other materials from the Philippines to Japan,
 To Unify Country
 MT. Roosevelt's primary purpose in phrasing his flreside chat was that 1t would unify the country" he told his congressional conferees. He permitted some of them to go away from the White House some- what confused regarding admlnis- tration policy on conveys and the neutrality act, But the president was specifically quoted by one of his visitors that i've are past the stage of convoys,' He explained further that conveys were e technique de- veloped in the World War and that 1t was up to our military and naval experts to devise new methods to overcome the German blockade peril to British shipping in this war.
 Neutrality act policies now, how ever, seem to be quite clear. The president told a special press con- ference yesterday that he was not considering requesting repeal of the remnant of the act which prohibits entry of American flag merchant ships into belligerent ports. He re. fused to say whether he would ask some kind of revision. But there was no indication that the step-ur in aid-to-Britain was directly re- lated to Q change in that law.
 Claim Rights On Sea
 On freedom of the seas 1t was ex- plained In detail that we claim all the rights accruing to us under that ancient principle but reserve the privilege of restricting our opera ton within those rights. But in the case of the Red Sea, which once was prohibited to our merchant ships by presidential order, we now intend to send them there at will despite German threats that they will be sunk.
 Chairman Walter F. George, D. da., of the Senate Foreign Rela. tions Committee told questioners that was what MT. Roosevelt meant and the same interpretation was ob. tained from other well informed sources.
 If Hitler should move westward toward Dakar or the outer Allan. tic Islands" George said, 1t woule constitute c definite threat but don't know that the move would bt met with force of arms unless the German movement definitely was into the Atlantic. don't under. stand that occupation Of Dakar by Germany would mean we were called on to intercept or to counter It."
 Careful reading of MT. Roosevelt'' talk supports Georges Judgment that Dakar was excepted from the list of Atlantic strong points from which MT. Roosevelt has committed the United States to repel Germans by force If they attempt to land. IT other words, the West African port of Dakar, which might be occupied by Germany if the Nazis gain con. trol of that continent, would not necessarily be defended by tho United States But If Germany un' dertook to establish control of tht North Atlantic by establishing bases on any islands, notably Iceland Greenland, the Azores of Cape Yer de. MT. Roosevelt would order the navy to oust them.
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