Evening star., 1941-08-28

summer brought abrupt termt-
nation OF halt-appeaSement pol
icieS OF Britain and United
States to1Uard Far Eastern part
ner in AriS. Freezing OF Japa-
rese assets here and in Britain,
mobilization OF Philippine de-
tense forces on maritime basis
and tightening OF uarted eco
roniic structures against TOXIC
hare tollo1Ued.
Admiral KichiSaburo Nomura, the
japanese Ambassador, presented 10
President Roosevelt at the White
House today a formal note from
Prince Konoye, japanese Prime MIN
ister
The Ambassador refused, however
TO give an indication to the press
as to contents of the communlca-
ton.
Admiral Nomura was received by
the Chief Executive after the latter
had conferred for approximately 10
minutes with Secretary of State Hull
on the potentially explosive Far
Eastern crises. The Secretary re-
mained with the President during
the subsequent consultation with
Admiral Nomura, lasting for more
than a half hour.
Smiling broadly. the Ambassador
parried questions from White House
reporters as he left the executive
Offices, his only positive statement
being that he had submitted the
communication from Prince Konoye.
Hasn't Been Informed.
Asked if it is the intention OF his
government to intercept American
ships now carrying war aid supplies
to Soviet Russia by way of Vladi-
voStok, the admiral said he had not
been informed as to the intentions
of his government.
To a subsequent question he de-
elared that he did not believe the
message which he had transmitted
dealt with this particular contro-
versial issue.
President Will Reply.
The President will write letter
In reply to the note from Prince
Konoye, Secretary Hull said at his
press conference at the State De-
partment after the White House
meeting. % ..r ....
Mr.. Hull said the disclosure of
the contents of the note from the
japanese Prime Minister would have
to come from Admiral Nomura and
i,oj To tn h ~
a general way what the talks con-
cerned.
Diplomats, however, found in the
meeting the suggestion of an at
tempt by Japan and the United
States to define grounds for set
ting their existing critical differ
ences. as Prime Minister Churchill
limited in his broadcast last Sunday.
Mr.. Hull indicated that he would
attend the future meetings between
the Ambassador and the President,
but said he did not know when the
next conference would be held.
The determination of the United
States Government to maintain its
freedom of the seas privilege with
regard to moving supplies through
the Pacific and Vladivostok was
made known yesterday by Secretary
Hull in a press conference pro-
nouncement.
The location of japanese naval
facilities would make blockade Of
the Port of Vladivostok relatively
simple from a standpoint of naval
strategy.
.g Conference Was Interesting.
Secretary Hull remained with the
President for an additional Is
minutes after the japanese AM
-bassador had left. AS the Secretary
emerged, he made the following
Statement:
There was general exchange of
ideas and information relating to
numerous matters pending between
the two governments.
The conference was very inter
esting and may be followed by an
other or others"
Admiral Nomura requested today
conference, it was learned presum-
The Japanese government has eX-
hibited increasing concern over any
decision Mr. Roosevelt and Prime
Minister Churchill may have reached
on the Far East, and there has
been resentment at the dispatch of
American war supplies to China and
Soviet Russia.
The major friction between the
United States and Japan, however,
stems from the japanese policy of
Asiatic eXpanSion-which started
with the conquest of Manchuria
and the invasion of China in July,
1887, and more recently has ex-
tended threateningly into the rich
South Pacific area.
Japans major objections to Amer
lean policies include aid to China,
the refusal to countenance Japan's
scheme for greater East Asia CO.
prosperity sphere" and long list
of economic measures, climaxed by
the freezing of Japanese assets
here, which virtually paralyzed all
japanese shipping and exports to
this country.
On the question of oil shipments
TO Vladivostok, the Toxic press re-
ported that protests had been lodged
both in Washington and Moscow,
but Secretary of State Hull refused
to confirm the receipts of any Japa-
nese representations here.
lin Moscow it was announced the
japanese Ambassador had informed
the Soviet government that ship
ments of war supplies to Vladivostok
had created an extremely delicate
and difficult position" for Japan, and
that the Soviet had replied that it
would regard any attempt by Japan
to hinder normal trade with the
United States as an "unfriendly
act."D
Yesterday the President moved
to block leakages of valuable sup
plies through the Philippines into
Japan, placing under export con-
troll all commodities and materials
not presently under such control
and specifying that general licenses
for, their shipment from the United