Evening star., 1942-01-26
By BLAIR BOLLES.

The United Nations have decided
10 bolster the opponents Of Japan
in the Far East in . manner that
viii make q change in the A. B. G.
D. tactics there manifestly possible,
1t was learned yesterday. Reach
ing this decision has provided the
Allies with one Of their most trying
problems.
Previous announcements by ON
eials in London and in Washington
have made clear strong desire to
concentrate on the Axis in Europe
and Africa. Strong arguments were
advanced. however, to impress the
fight-in-the-West proponents that
o naval power like Japan must be
halted and pushed back If 1t is to be
kept from rendering positive assist
ance to the European Axis nations
by naval ,,ction in the Indian Ocean.
The Netherlands Indies, Australia
and China brought to Washington
their urgent petitioning for q re-
orientation Of Allied thinking with
regard to the Far East. London
was disposed to pull the other way.
The final form Of the decision makes
plain what has been growing here
more obvious daily, that Washing
ton, In the short time since the
United States went to war, has be-
come the capital OF the anti-Axis
world.
Decisions Reached Here.
In Washington the decisions In
Grand strategy are recorded for the
conduct OF the war. Here, too, the
future is planned for the world that
Is to come into being when the war
is done. A member Of the British
Commonwealth like Australia looks
to Washington rather than to
Mother England for support Tor
its paint of view-an Eastern point
of yiew-and for assistance IN de-
veloping its military plan.
washington has become, IN q
sense, the capital of the Axis world,
too, because the people who are OPP
pressed by foreign invaders and by
domestic fascist governments look
to washington for deliverance.
The paramount position OF WASH
sngton AZ the great force IN the
world is brought again and again
IN the inescapable attention OF tne
r.v.napermen whose day-to-oay as
.,enment is reporting the news ne
,ht.,ns from the men and women
vho come here from abroad, as o1p-
ior.ts refugees or simple VISITORS.
These people regard washington
q. the center Of the universe, anu
thew have great trust that WASH
troton will see to it for them that
their hopes for their beleaguereo
homelands will be expressed In &C
complishment. Only Russia remains
beyond the reach OF washington
snd Russia is considerably depend
ent on supplies from the United
States.
Vast Wealth Of Resources.
One reason for Washington's ar
rival at this imposing and respon-
sjhJe place In the world Is the vast
wealth of our resources, natural ana
Industrial, which have made us rlcn
beyond rivalry in peacetime and now
At us to arm our friends beyond
rivalry in wartime.
Another reason is the remoteness
Of washington from the pressing
and distracting practical questions
which beset the European or the
Asiatic who tries to contemplate the
rearrangements of governments. So
ciety and mankind. We can take
the grand view Of distant and con-
tinental problems without being dis
concerted by q confusion OF detalieo
secondary considerations.
A third reason Is the influence
Of Washington in Latin America.
When the war is done, Europe Will
require first of all economic resuscl-
tation. Elementary needs like food
will be great. The new hfe-stirring
will depend on a flow of vital, funds
mental goods from abroad, from a
region whose own capacities Tor
production Of goods have not been
erased by bombs.
That region Is the New World, from
Cape Horn to Hudson's Bay. The
course of events at Rio de Janeiro
have proved to all that Washington
does not dictate policies in the West
ern Hemisphere. Rio. and previous
events, have demonstrated, how
ever, that we are paramount in the
New World and in the best position
to lead the Americas in the organl-
zation of their economies for the
relief OF Europe.
Moral Idealiszn.
Yet 4 fourth reason for American
supremacy is moral idealism. through
speeches of crusade with which the
United States invests the struggle
1t has joined. This elusive quality
inspires and attracts the other peo-
piles and raises high their faith In
Washington.
It was realization that Washing
ton is the worlds balance wheel that
brought Winston Churchill here
The same realization spurred Huber
NdIl VNVoh, llCoeSAA0AAS
general of the Netherlands Indies
to leave Java at this critical time
and visit the city of the Potomac
1t was realization that Washington
in time could be the world IS tapital
that sent the King and Queen o.
England here in 1899.
The continued presence here o1
certain great men and the establish
ment and enlargement of certain
wartime organizations testify to thu
global supremacy Of this city - 8
capital.
When Mr.. Churchill went back K
England, for instance. he left behint
Field Marshal Sir John Dill as th'
liaison man between Presiden
Roosevelt and the Prime Minister OF
Downing Street. Field Marshal Dill
speaks for the Prime Minister II