Evening star., 1941-08-25
ChurchiII's Stress
On Far East Stirs
Speculation Here
Pledge Thot Britoin Will
Stand By U. S. in Orient
Arouses Most Comment
D. the Associated Press.

Dy the Associated Press.
Winston Churchill's pointed en-
phasis on the delicate situation In
the Far East attracted much atten-
ton here today, for the British
Prime Minister seemed to intimate
that the danger Of trouble between
the United States and Japan was
greater than between Japan and
Britain.
Although there were many pas
sages in the Prime Minister'S ad-
dress yesterday that provoked in
terest, most of the diplomatic specu-
lation centered on Churchill's pledge
that Britain would stand by the
United States in the event of q
showdown in the Orient.
Pending careful study OF
Churchills report on his historic
Atlantic meeting with President
Roosevelt, congressional comment
was slow in forthcoming, but the
opinion among administration sup
porters seemed to be that Japan
had been given a warning that
could not be misunderstood.
Stress on U. S. Efforts.
Churchill, diplomatic sources
noted, bracketed Singapore and the
Philippines specifically as the two
spots Immediately menaced by the
present Japanese expansion south
ward in Asia. Thereafter, however,
the stress was on the efforts of the
United States to preserve peace in
the Far East.
The United States" Churchill
said, "are laboring with infinite
patience to arrive at a fair and
amicable settlement which will give
Japan the utmost reinsurance for
her legitimate interests.
I'VE earnestly hope these nego-
tiations will succeed. But this !
must say, that If these hopes should
fail, we shall, of course. range our
selves unhesitatingly at the side
OF the United States"
Indicates Hidden Elements.
Until Churchill spoke yesterday,
the general belief was that British
Interests would be the ones imme-
diately menaced by any new JAP
Anese move. However, the Prime
Minister'S words indicated that the
situation contained elements of i'm
portance to the United States that
were not apparent on the surface.
Besides the Far East, another
discussion-provoking topic was the
length to which Churchill went in
admonishing the United States to
have no illusions about its place on
Hitler's program of conquest.
1t was the first time that the
Prime Minister has dwelt exten-
sively on what he conceived to be
the German intentions regarding
this>country. He recited the result,
of the Nazi lone by one" strategy
the list of nations overcome singly-
and said the turn Of the United
States would come If Russia and
Britain could be disposed Of.
Seen as Oblique Appeal.
In some diplomatic quarters this
part of his speech was looked on a.
an oblique appeal for active Amer
lean participation on Britain's side
It was pointed out that he cited the
fate of the many countries that
failed to take united and positive
action against the German danger
until it was too late.
Others, however, preferred to in
terpret this section Of the address
as an effort to bring home to the
people Of the United States real
ization of the undiminished gravity
of the situation, and to impress the
Nation with the vital importance OF
Its role as "the arsenal of de-
fmocracy."
This part of the speech, neverthe-
less, was expected to receive con-
siderable study in the legislative
camp which is opposed to admin
astration foreign policy. 1t seemed
probable, too, that there would be
congressional requests for informa-
ton on the nature of the continual
council" which Churchill said the
high British and American military
and naval officials held during the
Atlantic meeting.
Called "Em0tionaP Orator.
Senator Taft, Republican, of Ohio,
an opponent of administration for
eign policy, said in a statement that
Mr.. Churchill 'His great emotional
orator" whose address yesterday was
directed to pursuading the Ameri-
esn people that they should go to
war at once, at England's side"
The most significant sentences in
his speech, Senator Taft added,
"are these; The President of the
United States and the British repre-
sentative have jointly pledged their
countries to the final destruction of
Nazi tyranny. That is solemn and
grave undertaking. 1t must be
made good
~Of course this means that in Mr.
Churchill's mind the President has
pledged the United States to go to
war. To him the essential part of
the pledge is that the United States
and great Britain will effectively
disarm the guilty nations while re-
manning suitably protected them
selves.
who is going to diSarm Japan, or
Indeed Germany, except the United
States? And how are they going to
DO It without going to war?
what right has the President,
without the consent of Congress, to
pledge the United States to 60 to
war? Or is he fooling Mr.. Church
ILL.,"