The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-03-17
Observations
Hitler Hinted as
Likely to Sue For
Peace Shortly
BY Charles p. Stewart

aaAiAhAoA bNaA AAOlA lilt''l
would gladly call the war a draw
IL the Uaited Nations would agree
Maybe he would even make some
smallish concessions. it is more
or less surmised. The conclusion Is
that he now realizes that his utter
defeat is Inevitable II the conflict
goes on TO a finish and would like
10 make such terms as he can.
considerably short OF '.uncoadi-
ito al surrender"
That his Axis partnerships vir-
tually have ey%apoIated is plainly
seen.
Signor Mussolini personally may
still be With him, though that is
doubtful, but the Italian people so
obviously are through that no OBJ
server fails 10 recognize il.
The Free French are as much his
enemies as our own country, the
British or the Russians, and even
the V.chy folk have been submis-
siNe to him only because he had
them temporarily licked. II he had
had better luck. GeneralissimJ
Francisco Franco. SPANS dictator,
probably would have aligned his
g0yeIlment with the "az-f'ascist
combination by this time, but it Is
Increasingly apparent that the
Madrid regime is trying at present
l. win favor with the democracies,
as demanded by the bulk OF the
rank-anj-file throughout the whole
lberian peninsula.
Worse for Mussolini than every.
thing else. IT is becoming evident
at last that Hitler was mistaken
in depending ON any assistance
from Japan.
The outbreak OF hostilities in
the Occident perfectly suited the
japanese purposes. 1t distracted
the democracies' attention from
the situation in China, which it
was plain that they heartily
wished. 1t furnished an opportun-
ity for Nippon's grab at the Phil
ippines. 1t also msnifestly aroused
Tokyo's ambitions in the direction
OF Australia and the South Seas
generally. ami perhaps likewise
toward the North American west
coast-Alaska and ; adjacent is
lands. anyway.
Clearly, then the -.ikado's DOM
inant military class, deemed it in
their interest TO promote fighting,
o. the largest scale possible. be-
tween the two big groups Of west
ern powers.
Going through the motions OF
joining the Axis looked like d
promising way OF stimulating the
latter to a maximum effort. Accord
ingly Tokyo's declaration followed
In short order. Adolf and Benito
showed all signs OF believing i'm
plicitly that they had enlisted a
genuine ally and tore loose for all
they were worth. SO did the Jap
anese. with their own Oriental and
Pacific campaign.
Nippon, however, confined it.
self TO it's own especial field. in
dependently OF the rest OF the
Axis.
Hitler quickly revealed, by his
attack on Russia, that he expect
Ell Japan really TO join up as soon
as he gave the word. His thrust
against the SoViets once launched.
he urged a japanese invasion OF
their Siberian realm.
This would have served his mill
tsry requirements admirably, by
giving the Russians an Asiatic
front TO deal with, thus prevent.
ing them from. concentrating on
his NaEi offensive. The Japanese,
though, did not e tit 10 act on
his suggestion. AS the Muscolita
tide turned more and more disas-
trously against Hitler. he became
urgent. Still Tokyo paid no atten-
ton " him.
The fact is, It is belatedly IN
mistakable. the Mikado never did
are a copper for Axis interests
in general, but for his own exclu-
siyely.
Hirohito certainly must want the
Nazis TO last as long as possible.
but he naturally must believe that
they will do so. and while they
are doing il. he will be consolidat-
ing has own position. BY the time
the Germans collapse, he may be
so we'll entrenched that. plus Jap
ans geographical remoteness from
the United Nations bases, II is
likely 10 be an exceedingly diff
cult job 10 dislodge HIN.