Evening star., 1942-01-03

ers DA''o LA"'ehoe'
The incident illustrates the i'm
portance Of morale. Bad news is
usually not a surprise. 1t has been
anticipated for several days that
Manila would fall. But coinciden-
tally. the effort to bind rs nations |
together IN Q solemn pact against a
separate peace was started several
DAYS ago and really grew out OF the
visit of Prime Minister Churchill to
the United States.
The show of unanimity was espe-
eially important in view of rumors
that Russia might be asked to make !
. separate peace. as happened in the
last war. It was important, too. to |
show the subjugated peoples OF Eu-
rope that Notwithstanding the first |
reverses, the anti-Axis nations are |
unshaken in their determination to |
do everything in their power to de-
feat the Axis nations
The pact was worded carefully so
that Russia would not become in
volved In any specific declaration
against Toxic The language used
was to pledge each government to
employ It's full resources against
those members OF the Tripartite
Pact and its adherents with which
such government is at war"
Avoids Provocation.
Thus Russia is not at war with
Japan and may not be for some
time, for strategic reasons. 1t was
desired, therefore, not to give Japan
. provoeation to war against Russia
The Moscow governments position
Is fully understood by both Britain
and the United States.
The rs nations include not only
the British group Of commemorative
and the United States but the va
rious Latin American governments
as we'll as the so-called governments
In exile. This means that in due
time these governments and the
personnel they designate will be
recognized at the peace conference
table.
The signing of the anti-Axis pact |
IS not only a preparation for the
time when the conquered peoples Of
Europe are liberated and some sort |
OF order must be set up, but it is a
means OF notifying governments not |
vet in the war that there exists a
solid group of governments-an or
gani1ation-to which a neutral gov
ernment may at any moment ad-
here simply by signing the docu-
ment.
The new treaty covers only few
paragraphs but 1t must be read
alongside OF the broader statement
OF war aims which are known as
the Atlantic Charter. This was
the agreement first signed by Mr..
Churchill and Mr.. Roosevelt last
summer of the Maine coast.
Fire Not a Signatory.
The pledge to defend life, lib
erty. independence and religious
freedom and to preserve human
rights and justice in their own lands
as well as in other lands" Is suffi-
GENTLY inclusive to enable amplifi-
cation by the ENJOYS to the peace
conference whereby this war is some
day ended.
1t will be noted that Fire is not a
hgnatory to the pact but that all
other members of the British family
Of nations have subscribed. In due
time the signature may be expected,
for 1t Is not believed here that Fire
will be able to maintain her neu-
trality when the war reaches more
intensive stages.
The news of the new anti-Axis
pact will spread throughout the
world. 1t has gone over the wires
and radio and cables. The fact
that a solemn resolution has been
taken to fight the war as "a COM
mon struggle against savage and
brutal forces seeking to subjugate
the world" will be interpreted far
and wide as supreme alliance
possibly the most powerful of all
times-designed not merely to win
a victory but to set up new world
organization to maintain peace.
Aggressors Face Disarmament.
What will be the position of Italy,
Germany and Japan in such world
system? What will be the position
of the smaller nations which have
not adhered to the pact? The latter
will have little voice in the peace
arrangements but it is not likely
their interests will be jeopardized
thereby, for it is realized that "neu-
trality" today is matter of coercion
by the Axis powers in those in
stances where Axis power is nearby.
AS for the Axis powers, they will
be eventually disarmed and, judging
by public declarations already
made, they will be kept disarmed by
means of an international police
force. The new treaty is intended
to be the death warrant for the
militaristic cliques which have led
Germany, Japan and Italy into a
world war.
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