Evening star., 1941-10-26

Administrative quarters in Washing
ton and most members of Congress
including some of the inveterate isola-
tionists-are reported to share Navy
Secretary Knox's belief that war between
the United States and Japan is almost
inevitable.
If the Moscow front collapses, the per-
sonal position of Joseph Stain may be
in jeopardy. Dictators cannot survive
defeats. The political situation in the
U. S. S. R. is open to unlimited conjec-
ture.
The japanese have now assumed the
role that the Italians played in 1910
after the fall of France. With the de-
feat of the principal Soviet armies gen.
orally conceded. Toxic is reported p.an-
ming to strike at Siberia. The Germans
are encouraging them in this action.
Nazi agents and diplomats have been
extremely active in Japan ever since the
beginning of American-Japanese nego-
tiations for an amicable settlement OF
the Pacific problem. AS long as the
German armies encountered fierce oppo-
sition in Russia they knew that the
nervous japanese would listen to the
British and American diplomats who
were telling them that the Nazis would
not get through to Moscow and would
fail to pulverize the Soviet fighting
forces. Hence, Japan was willing to dis
cuss terms with the United States.
These terms we're not particularly favor
able to Japan and would have been dis
astrous for the Reich if Toxic had ac-
cepted them.
wait and See" Policy Urged
The paramount condition for settle
ment of the Pacific question was Japans
abandonment of the Axis. Following
the advice of the German diplomats and
money disbursing agents, the Japanese
agreed to wait and see" That was all
the Reich wanted of them for the time
being. The German Ambassador. who
conferred frequently with Prince Premier
Fumimaro Konoye and who was re-
ceived at least twice by the Emperor
himself, is reported to have told them
that Russia was being slowly defeated.
The Nazi envoy also is reported to have
said that the Reich did not want Japan
to do anything either with or against the
United States until she was satisfied with
the trend of events, and that after the
Russians had been defeated the Emperor
had better follow the policy which he
deemed most advantageous for the en-
pire and the dynasty. But until defeat
of Russia was assured, Hitler's envoy
begged the Emperor to mark time and do
nothing which might compromise the
plans of the Axis.
This. Emperor Hirohito and his cabinet
did. For weeks the japanese refrained
from any warlike activity. They cid not
even attempt to intercept the few tankers
and cargo boats which the United States
sent to Vladivostok. Informal discus
sions were going on between Washington
and Toxic. They were slow and dilatory.
Bargaining for Big Stakes.
The Toxic foreign minister explained
to the often impatient Ambassador
Joseph C. Grew that the imperial gov
ernment had to consider the hotheads
In the army and navy. Hence, he ex-
planned, the conversations would have
to continue for a long time and could
not reach definite shape until the mill
tary clique was muzzled. The United
States thought this delay could do no
harm. We had taken precautionary
measures in the Far East and the ad-
ministration was not worried over any
surprises.
There is no doubt that the imperial
government itself looked with favor at
the possibility of an understanding with
the United States-provided no strings
were attached to Japan's expansion on
the Asiatic mainland. For nearly 10
weeks the japanese went on bargaining
for big stakes. The collapse of the active
Russian front was occurring with greater
rapidity than Toxic expected. 1t, more
than confirmed the German contention
that Russia was at the mercy of the
Reich any time Hitler decided that the
moment had come to sacrifice million
men.
The vast German offensive appealed
10 the Nipponese. 1t appeared to them
ss somewhat of a mass harakiri at the
altar OF the fatherland. No sooner did
It become apparent that the Russians
were through on the western front than
the Toxic cabinet decided that any
further negotiations with the United