Evening star., 1943-08-14

could, the infer -
ence left was David Lawrence.
that the Russians had been invited,
but declined to accept. Promptly,
however, the oncial Russian news
agency told the world that Russia
had not been invited because of
the nature of the conference" This
meant simply that Messrs. Church
Ill and Roosevelt knew from pre-
vious experience with Stain that
he would not accept an invitation
even If tendered--so none was ten
dered.
What our President really meant,
OF course, was that he wished that
circumstances were such that
Russian representative could attend,
for, 50 far as Britain and America
are concerned, the latch string is
always open.
Stresses Pacific Neutrality.
why, it may be asked, doesn't
Stain want to send any envoy or
commission to the Churchill Roose-
welt conferences? Because he is
doubtless trying to persuade Toxic
that in the Japanese-American-
British war in the Pacific he is alb
solutely neutral. He would like to
give the impression that his fight
is in Europe against Germany and
that 1t is fight to defend the Rus
sian homeland and not necessarily
q part of the United Nations war
against Germany.
Stain has specific reasons for
wanting Japan to believe all this.
For one thing, Russia does not wish
to be fighting on the European and
Siberian front at the same time.
The Japanese evidently believe in
Russia's neutrality as is evidenced
by their willingness to let cargoes
move in Russian ships from Ameri-
can ports on the Pacific Coast.
Toxic, to be sure, also has its own
reasons for wishing not to become
involved on two fronts the
Siberian front and In the vast
areas In the Pacific now being
threatened by American naval and
aerial attack from island bases rs
wen As from China.
Japan may have thought the
time would come when an attack
on Siberia would be desirable for
her 20 as to prevent Russia from
giving aid to America or to help
Germany ~ against Russia. But
the time has passed for that con-
tingency, first, because America has
proved too dangerous = foe in the
Pacific and has destroyed much OF
the shipping needed to carry sup
plies from Japan to her armies on
the Siberian border, and, second, be-
cause Russia is defeating the Naz
armies in Europe and could con-
ceivably grow strong enough to
give material assistance in destroy
Ing Japan.
Knows Aid Effective.
Stain, of course, Is thinking
about Russia and Russian interests
only and he is accepting American
help without promising aid in ST.
IBERIA and the Far East.
But Stain knows, on the other
hand, that the Russian Army has
given the British h-American high
command two years Of precious
time, thus permitting the North
African bases to be acquired for
the assault on italy and affording
an opportunity to British and Amer
tcan air forces to develop their ex-
tensive raids on Germany He feels
he has done his share Of the help
ing In Europe and that the Russians
have borne the brunt OF the Euro
pean war.
SO 1t is not surprising that Mr..
Roosevelt wishes Stain could feel
free to send a representative to the
various British American confer
ences. Mr.. Roosevelt expressed the
same wish when the historic session
was being held at Casablanca. But
to express hope is one thing and
to understand at the same time why
the hope cannot be fulfilled is
another.
Apparently Moscow and Wash
ington have explained their respec-
tive positions, but this doesn't pro-
hibit our President from wishing
that things were different and that
Stain could see his way clear to
come in as q full-nedged ally
against Japan as soon as possible.
Many an American father and
mother devoutly wish the same thing
and hope the day is not far off
when the combined American Brit
ish- Russian war strength can de-
scend on Japan and bring the war
In the Pacific to an end simultane-
ously with the defeat OF Hitler in
Europe.
Neproduetion Rights Reserved.)
0PA Gives Formal 0. K.