The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1941-07-17

WASHINGION.- VIII the u. >. de-
fend Siberia as il has defended the
Dutch East Indies against Japan?
That is one of the outstanding
questions in Washington. and the an
swer will probably not come until
Japan shows its hand Japan was
MI set to take the Dutch East In
dies, and perhaps French lndo-Chi-
ma, after the fall of the Low Coun-
tries. But Uncle Sam speaking
through Cordell Hull, U. S. secre-
tary of state, surprised the world
by what seemed to be an ultima
tum. The words of Mr.. Hull did
not state definitely that the u. S.
would declare war on Japan if Ja-
pan attacked the Dutch East Indies,
but they SEEMED to say just that.
Beyond doubt they were so inter-
preted in Japan.
Incidentally, the best military
opinion is that Japan missed the
boat" II she had moved swiftly, ig-
noring the words of Cordell Hull,
4 Is entirely possible that she could
have gobbled up those priceless IS
lands which belonged to Holland, and
that the United States would have
done nothing more than We did when
Aussolini was conquering the Lion
Of Judah. There was not the slight
ct indication that American public
opinion would have supported the
administration in war against ia
pan, and there is very grave doubt
whether-at that time-President
Roosevelt would have unleashed the
navy to attack Nippon.
Defense Preparations.
Moreover, except for the navy,
nothing was ready. That was be-
foee this government rushed lot
OF lnn1 range bombers to Manila. 1t
va before another lot of long range
bemhers made In the U. S. was
rushed to Singapore, Threatening by
their mere presence the bombing Of
Japan's oil reserves-which are ex-
tremely vulnerable-if war should
break out.
Japan knew how vulnerable her
oil reserves were. Despite the lack
Of bombers at the time in Singapore
and Manila she decided to wait q
more favorable moment. An impor-
tant element in her calculations was
conviction that Germany could not
Sc stopped, and that Britain would
be weaker before she was stronger.
Moreover that was before japan
and Russia had concluded their nom
aggression pact.
Not that this pact means any
thing-from the coldblooded view
point OF the military experts. Trea-
ties and solemn promises are 1T an
even lower ebb than in the famous
..scraps OF paper era OF the first
World war. japan will do, the ex-
perts believe, whatever is in her own
interest at the moment
Time Ripe for Attack?
Which means OF course that she
might now attack Siberia, while the
Soviet is in a death grip with the
Nazis. This brings us back to the
point OF whether We would take the
same strong stand against such az
aression in the Far East with re-
1pect to Siberia which we took in
respect to the Dutch East Indies.
There is not the same degree Of
feeling. This country has always
heen very friendly with Holland, and
our navy in particular has beer
certain ever since World War No.
that we would eventually have tc
AEht Japan. In the case OF Russia
versus japan this country was sym.
pathetic with Japan, but that pic
ttnre has long since gone out OF focus
The country has turned anti-J apa
nese to an amazing extent since
Japan's unprovoked war of aggres
~scr auuircf China