Evening star., 1941-08-13
No 'Appeosement'

mo APPeoSement
Grave though Japanese-American
relations have become, the issue at
least has been clearly defined. This
has been accomplished by the utter
ances of two eminently qualified
personages-the Secretary of State
and high Japanese diplomat fresh
from his country's Embassy in
Washington. The interesting point
is that they both put an effective
quietuS on current talk of "appease-
ment."
Here in America a minority has
been in favor of dealing softly with
Japan for various reasons. Besides
confirmed pacifists, others have felt
the Far East was not worth fighting
over, while still others have advo-
Gated the widest concessions to Japan
in order to gain free hand in the
struggle against Nazi Germany.
Such arguments in America have
given the cue to Japanese militarists
and the lingo press in their aSser-
tions that, while the American Gov
ernment might speak sternly, this
was largely bluff. The japanese
public has thus been led to under
stand that America would not fight
fresh japanese aggressionS in the
Far East, or at least that a deal
could be made insuring retention of
many of the fruits of Japans i'm
perialistic policies.
Secretary of State Hull fatty con-
tradicted all such theories when he
announced that the United States
would discuss a settlement of out
standing differences with Japan only
on basis of the fourteen points he
laid down in his pronouncement of
July, 1887. This means that Japan
cannot get America to remove ex-
isting economic sanctions and re-
sumo normal peacetime relations
even by withdrawing from the Axis
and promising to aggress no further.
Japan must do much more than this.
She must abandon her whole expan-
sioniSt policy, make genuine settle
ment with China and restore the
"open door" to foreign commerce
which she has slammed shut in
China and other regions brought
under her sway. Mr.. Hull is ada
mant. He suggests no loophole nor
gives any hint of compromise.
On the same day that the Secre-
tary of State took this fortnight
stand, a leading Toxic newspaper
published a trans-Pacific telephone
interview with Minister Kaname
Wakasugi, now in Los Angeles, Cali
fornia, on his way home to advise
his government after serving in the
Washington Embassy as adviser to
Ambassador Nomura. Mr.. WakaSugi
warned emphatically that America
is not bluff1ng; that while it desired
friendly relations with Japan and
would not launch preventive war
against her, "the attitude of the
United States will depend solely on
the attitude of Japan. All counter
measures against Japan's steps are
already fixed, and these counter
measures will be carried out one by
one according to each step Japan
makes" He ended by advising the
Japanese press to be tactful and
prudent in its handling of this
delicate situation.
Bearing in mind the rigid dis
cipline of the japanese diplomatic
corps, this sensational interview is
highly significant. Mr.. Wakasugi
certainly did not speak thus wholly
on his own responsibility. 1t is vir-
tually certain that he had the ap-
proval of some of his superiors.
There are moderate elements in the
Japanese government who wish to
avoid a conflict with the United
States, even at the cost of notable
sacrifices. This warning interview
thus looks like last attempt of the
moderates to avert the struggle
which looms as an imminent posi-
bility. But Secretary Hull's state
ment makes it clear that Japan
cannot make a bargain settlement.
The time for half measures has
passed. The basic issue is clearly
joined.