Evening star., 1941-12-15

ing, to obtain some assurance that
there could be some agreement on
basic principles. This Government
tried hard-but without success-to
obtain such assurance from the
Japanese government.
Several Formulas Offered
While Japan Went Way.
The various proposals of the Japa-
nese government and the attitude
taken by this Government are set
forth in a document which the Sec
retary of State handed to the Japa-
neSe Ambassador on October 2, 1941.
Thereafter, several formulas were
offered and discussed. But the
japanese government continued
upon its course of war and conquest.
Finally, on November 20, 1941, the
Japanese government presented a
new and narrow proposal, which
called for supplying by the United
States to Japan, of as much oil as
Japan might require, for suspension
OF freezing measures, and for dis
continuance by the United States
OF aid to China. 1t contained how
ever no provision for abandonment
by Japan of her warlike operations
or aims.
Such a proposal obviously offered
no basis for a peaceful settlement or
even for temporary adjustment.
The American Government, in order
to clarity the issues, presented to
the Japanese government on No
vember 26, a clear-cut plan for a
broad but simple settlement.
The outline of the proposed plan
for agreement between the United
States and Japan was divided into
two parts:
In section one there was outlined
mutual declaration of policy con-
tanning aftlrmations that the ma
tional policies of the two countries
were directed toward peace through
out the Pacific area, that the two
countries had no territorial designs
or aggressive intentions in that area
and that they would give active
support to certain fundamental
principles Of peace upon which their
relations with each other and all
other nations would be based. There
was provision for mutual pledges to
support and apply in their economic
relations with each other and with
other nations and peoples liberal
economic principles, which were
enumerated. based upon the gen.
eral principle of equality of COM
mercial opportunity and treatment.
Japanese Would Yield
China and Indo- China.
In section two there were out
lined proposed steps to be taken by
the two governments. These steps
envisaged situation in which there
would be no Japanese or other for
eign armed forces in French Indo-
China or in China. Mutual commit
ments were suggested along lines as
follows: ta) 10 endeavor to con-
clude a multilateral non-aggression
pact among the governments prin-
cipally concerned in the Pacific area
(b) to endeavor to conclude among
the principally interested govern
ments an agreement to respect the
territorial integrity of Indo-China
and not to seek or accept prefer
entail economic treatment therein
Co not to support any government
in China other than the national
government of the republic of
China, with capital temporarily at
Chungking; I'D to relinquish extra
territorial and related rights in
China and to endeavor to obtain
the agreement of other governments
now possessing such rights to give
up those rights; (e) to negotiate q
trade agreement based upon recip-
rocal MISREPRESENTATION treat
ment; % to remove freezing re-
strictions imposed by each country
on the funds of the other; (g) to
agree upon a plan for the stabiliza-
ton of the dollar-yen rate; Ch) tc
agree that no agreement which
either had concluded with any third
power or powers shall be interpreted
by it in way to conflict with the
fundamental purpose of this agree
ment, and Cd to use their influence
to cause other governments to ad-
here to the basic political and eco-
nomic principles provided for in this
suggested agreement.
In the midst of these conversa-
tions. we learned that new contin-
gents of Japanese armed forces and
new masses of equipment were NOV
ing into Indo-China. Toward the