Evening star., 1941-11-25
Berlin Conference

With due pomp and ceremony the
representatives of thirteen govern
ments convene today in Berlin. The
official object of the conference is
renewal and extension of the So
called anti-Comintern pact, origl-
nally signed five years ago by Ger
many and Japan, and subsequently
adhered to by several other nations.
Although obviously directed against
Soviet Russia, the pact did not men,
ton that government by name. In
stead, it referred only to ''the Com
muniSt International known as the
Comintern." Moscow made no dip
lomatic objection, because Moscow
itself had always made the technical
claim that the Comintern was not
part of the Soviet government, even
though high Soviet leaders have held
office simultaneously in both organi-
ZationS.
The anti-Comintern pact was not,
and never has been. an alliance in
the diplomatic sense Of the word.
Instead, it was a working agreement
for mutual consultation and joint
action by the signatories against
Communist activities, primarily with
in their own borders by local Com
munist groups, even though these
undoubtedly were directed and
financed by the Comintern sitting in
Moscow. The pact should thus be
distinguished from the so-called
Berlin Rome Axis, which became
the Berlin Rome Toxic Axis when
Japan joined in September, 1910.
This was genuine alliance, pledging
the signatories to mutual aid against
other governments in certain con-
tingencies.
While the legal distinction is clear,
the present conference to renew and
extend the anti-Comintern pact un-
doubtedly is intended to strengthen
the Axis and promote the conduct OF
the present war. Thirteen govern
ments have sent representatives. Be-
sides the Big Three'-Germany,
Italy and Japan, the balance consists
mostly of Axis satellites in Europe,
plus the two japanese puppet gov
ernments of Marking and Man
chukuo. Only two governments of
lesser poWers-those of Spain and
Finland, have any genuine measure
of independence. 1t is interesting to
note that the Vichy government Of
France, despite its dependent status
upon the Reich, was not invited.
The technical reason doubtless is
that Franco-German relations still
are governed by the armistice and
thus have not been regularized dip
lomatically.
The British government let it be
generally known in advance that
any nation attending the Berlin con-
ference would thereby earn its high
displeasure. London feels certain
that the conference is merely the
first move in two ambitious German
objectives. The first of these is
big peace offensive, to try and get
negotiated settlement which would
leave the Reich master of the conti-
nent, and failing that, to convict
Britain in German eyes OF wantonly
prolonging the war. The second OBJ
jective, as seen by London, is the
establishment of at least a formal
German dominated economic union
embracing most of the continent and
in at least technical connection with
Japan's Far Eastern co-prosperity
sphere.
The most intriguing aspect of the
conference we'll may be Japans at
titude. 1t will require a skillful
Japanese juggling act to reconcile
harmonious participation in the
Berlin conference with the negotia-
tions simultaneously proceeding in
Washington.