The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-01-06

WAR WARNINGS
Americas case toward pinnins
the war guilt on the Axis powers
goes on record with publication OF
the official white book by the state
Department.
In a series of diplomatic and
other documents, some OF them pre-
viously secret, this government re-
veals how attempts were made
through peaceful negotiations TO
dissuade Germany, Japan and Italy
from their course OF world conquest.
The publication, entitled Peace
and War, shows that the United
States through its diplomatic rep
resentatives abroad was in posses
sion of advance information regard
ing Axis plans and of the dangers
which threatened this country.
Some of the material, although
released officially for the first
time, was reported last year in
news dispatches.
Warning was sent by Ambassa-
dor Joseph c. Grew from Tokyo
in Jan. r94l. that Japan planned
SUI PRISE mass hAtdNh VIZ -
Harbor in case OF trouble with the
United States"
Japan's proposal for a meeting in
the Pacific between President
Roosevelt and Premier Fumimarn
Konoye was rejected by the Unit
ed States because the Japanese
government had given no evidence
of ability to control the military
clique.
Secretary OF State Cordell Hull
warned the Army and Navy to DO
on their guard against a surprise
attack by Japan.
American diplomats in Germany
and Italy saw danger signals there
In the early 'thirties.
Consul General George s. Mes.
aersmith, now the American am
bassador in Mexico, reported from
Berlin on June 26, 1893. that the
men running Germany were 'psy-
chopathic cases, that they had no
desire for peace except on their
own terms. and that they were at
tempting TO make Germany the
most capable instrument OF war
that has ever existed
The ambassador to Rome, Breck-
inridge Long. predicted the inY2-
sion Of Ethiopia a year before It
occurred.
Early in 1888, according to the
record. Hull was proceeding on the
theory that Germany was bent on
becoming the dominating colossus
OF continental Europe At the
same time he was aware OF Japan
intentions and told a friendly dip
lomat that he was convinced IN
Aug. 1897. that Japan definitely
contemplated securing domination
over as many hundreds OF millions
OF people as possible in eastern
Asia and gradually extending heT
control through the Pacific to the
Dutch East Indies and elsewhere.
thereby dominating in practical
effect that half of the world.
In view OF such general informa-
ton of impending war, the natural
question arises about Pearl Har'
bor. why We were caught unpre'
pared. In partial answer TO this
the White Book says that govern
ment efforts were made to acquaint
the American people with perils
faced from Axis aggression, out
that our foreign policy necessarily
had to move within the framework
of gradual evolution OF public
opinion in the United States away
from the idea of isolation.
The White Book omits discus.
sion. among other things. OF the
Soyiet-Finnish conflict Of 1883
Japan's offer of 1899 to participate
in a world conference to avert war,
the statement OF Generalissimo
Chang Kai-Shek in the fall OF
1881 that he might have to sue fo-
peace with Japan, the proposal for
a 9O-dsy truce or breathing spell,
considered but never officially Of
fered to Japan during the tense
days OF the exploratory talks with
Japan's emissaries in Nov. 1871.
one reason for such omissions
might be that Secretary Hull did
not care TO enter into discussion
of uncertainties. President Roose.
welt. for example, might have been
a prisoner of war. government Of
fcials have pointed out. II he had
boarded a japanese war ship. par
ticularly If the japanese chose that
time to make such a surprise attack
as Pearl Harbor
Whether the Japanese had any
such thought in inviting a confer.
ence to avert war, must remain
problematical and cannot therefore
be officially determined Secre-
tary Hull displays his Characters
tic good judgment in declining 10
officially discuss such a theory until
evidence becomes available TO jus
tify conclusions.