Evening star., 1941-04-06
Far Eastern Front

Ever since Japan joined the Ber-
lin-Rome axis last summer and in
tensified her aggressive moves in the
Orient the three Western powers
Immediately threatened have been
inevitably drawn together for COM
mon defensive action. Those powers
are the British Empire, the Neither
lands and the United States.
Until recently, mutual under
standings were discreetly veiled.
Now, however, that reticence is be-
ing cast aside And it is interesting
to note that the United States is
taking the lead in what amounts to
common diplomatic and strategic
front in the Far East, defensively
directed against further Japanese
aggression.
Last week Sir Robert Brooke
Popham, commander in chief of
Britain's forces in Eastern Asia,
flew to Manila, where he had lengthy
conferences with our naval and
military authorities, and with Mr..
Sayre, United States High Commis-
sioner to the Philippine Common
wealth. From Manila Sir Robert
flew to Hong Kong, Britain's strong
hold off the South China coast. 1t
now appears that, after this inspec-
ton trip, he will return to Manila
for further conferences, presumably
of a still more extensive character,
since Netherlands Foreign Minister
van KleffenS also will have reached
Manila and likewise will participate.
Thus the three Western powers
are scheduled to confer at length
on measures of common interest,
their meeting place being the Phil
ippine capital and metropolis. Ma
Mia dispatches intimate that a def
mite defense pattern is being worked
out, with co-ordinated naval and air
patrols based on Manila, Batavia and
Singapore. 1t is likewise intimated
that this coordination Of interests
may go beyond present defense needs
into the realm of increased Coop
Grafton during the reconstruction
era after the present war.
Another important development
along the same line is the decision
of our Government to spend S50,-
100000 on the defense of the Philip
pines A defense program already
is under way in the islands, but the
Commonwealth government has
been hampered by lack of local re-
sources. The new appropriation
assented to in principle by WASH
ington will make possible great
expansion Of defense measures
which should render the Philippines
relatively safe from sudden Japa-
nese attack. incidentally, the atti-
tude of the Filipinos seems to be
changing rapidly from fear of Japan
to self-confldence.
Thus, in the Far East as in Europe,
the initiative seems to be passing
away from the axis powers. The
Japanese attitude has certainly
changed remarkably since Mr.. Mat
suoka set forth on his visiting tour
to his axis partners only three weeks
ago. In that relatively short time
many things have happened to dis
courage Japanese dreams of new
order" in the Orient established by
diplomatic aggressiveness and mill
tary force. Today, in Toxic, saber-
rafting, official or unofficial, seems
to be at a discount. In fact, Pre-
mier Konoye is Strengthening" his
cabinet by appointing outstanding
conservatives who have consistently
opposed affronting Britain and
America. And Mr.. Matsuoka is
understood to be hurrying home
ward ahead of schedule. All of
which tends to show that Japan
senses a change in the world situa-
ton and is trimming its policy to