Evening star., 1941-07-24
EncircIing Pact Urged as Curb
To Jopon's For-Eost Expansion
Eliot Soys U. S., Britain and Allies
Acting Together Could Stop Toxic

rected against it from overseas AT
the moment, however. Japanese
Navy circles are reported as feeling
decidedly uncertain about the
United States; and the strong rein
forcements which have reached Ma
laya and the Philippines, plus the
increase in air forces all round the
British, Dutch and American pos
sessions in the islands of southeast
ern Asia make direct Japanese
attack on those islands highly
speculative proposition. with the
chances favoring bloody repulse.
However, limited liability affair
in French Indo- China offers great
advantage-improvement of Japa-
nese positions either for offense or
defense-with very little risk. 1t
seems unlikely that the French can
resist unless they are helped; if
they are to be helped effectively
Britain and the United States must
do what they have failed to do so
far, take steps which can be inter-
preted as "risking war" in the halls
of Congress and amongst critics of
either governments policy.
The Japanese probably cannot be
stopped by mere gestures: they
might be stopped by threats, but
nothing could be more fatal than to
threaten and fail to perform. Mean
while, troops, planes, submarines
and material which would be of vast
Importance in other theaters of war
are detained in the Far East merely
because of the latest threat of what
Japan might do. Those who now
blame Britain and France for not
having taken the offensive against
Italy in September. 1899, will see a
similar situation in the Far East
today and perhaps one as preg-
nant with disastrous consequences.
Vital Considerations.
For no one can question that
now, while the Soviet Union is bel
ligerent, while the outcome of the
German-RusSian campaign remains
undecided, is the moment of golden
opportunity in the Far East as we'll
as elsewhere. To state an extreme
case. no japanese government, con-
fronted with a sudden. sharp ulti-
matum from the United States,
Britain, the Netherlands, the Soviet
Union and China acting in concert,
could find any hope of victory in
resistance. Complete blockade, air
attack from land and sea against
the vulnerable cities, wiping out
every vestige of foreign trade, at
tack upon every outpost of the en-
pire. could have but one result
swift, certain and utter defeat.
Japan is far too weak, at the end
of her long and fruitless struggle
with China. to hope to survive or
even long resist such overwhelming
force as those encircling powers
could direct against her if they
would but act together and firmly.
while there is yet time. There
would be measurable chance,
therefore, that Japanese govern
ment so confronted might yield
rather than fght-might give guar
antees of good behavior, such as the
evacuation of China and the dis
mantling of new naval construction,
and might find it better to CO.
operate with the sea powers rather
than continue adherence to an Axis
which would be proven powlerless to
aid them in their hour of peril
Such grand alliance may not be
possible, but the point to be made
is that Japans risks are not far
greater than ours; why, therefore,
allow Japanese absorption of every
strategic position in the Far East.
perhaps to strike against the vital
interests of the western powers at
some moment when we shall be fully
engaged elsewhere?
All these considera tions ought to
be kept in mind by our people, the
final arbiters of national policy.
when they are asked-as they will
be asked-"Do you propose to fight
for Indo-China?'
Indo-C China is but little piece
in the vast pattern of totalitarian
conquest; that pattern can only be
completed by the fitting together of
many such pieces. The question
is always at what point the process
shall = be arrested; whether fore
thought and firmness shall be used
while time is on our side. or whether
lost time shall be paid for later in
blood and treasure without stint
under the compulsion of stark
necessity.
Copyright, 1o41, New York Tribune, Inc.)