Evening star., 1945-02-10
japanese Seek Hint
Of Soviet Intentions
Real Work Of Big Three Farley
To Be Military, Writer Says
By David Laurence

To Be Military, Writer Says
By David Laurence
Although there are postwar terri
torial questions Of major Importance to
be settled or machinery for their
eventual solution created now, the real
work Of the Big Three and their re-
spective STATS In conference now in the
Black Sea area is necessarily military.
These conferences are usually related
to events that materialize anywhere
from six months to a year afterwards,
and 1t may be presumed that the
present Big Three conference is no
exception.
Russia is not at war with Japan and
probably will not make the first move
toward that end, but Stain, on the
other hand, Is realist and knows he
must be prepared for joint operations
with the United States and Britain In
the event that the Tokyo government
some Sunday morning launches sneak
attack on Vladivostok after the manner
OF the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl
Harbor or, as Russian bitter memories
might recall, the one on Port Arthur
which started the Russo-Japanese war,
It will be noted that the japanese
news agencies are manifesting consid-
cradle curiosity concerning the Big
Three meeting and hint at the possi-
bility of Japanese Russian friction. This
Is plainly an effort to find out If Russia
Is making any preparations hostile to
Japan.
Japan May Act.
This is something which nobody in
the outside world. least of all the JAP
anese, will ever know till the moment
for action arrives. Certainly the Amer
leans and British must continue their
operations on the assumption that Rus
sia may or may not join us. But If the
Japanese commit an overt act of some
kind, it may not be necessary for Russia
to denounce the present treaty but to
defend Siberia.
Up to now it has been thought un-
likely that the Japanese would take the
initiative. But if the Japanese govern
ment becomes convinced that Russia
plans to enter the war anyway, 1t would
be natural for the japanese to strike
first in the hope of Gripping Russian
forces in Siberia even before the in
creased supplies could start across the
Trans-Siberian Railway from Europe,
or the sea lanes across the Pacific could
be opened up for effective aid to the
Russian armies in Siberia.
If there is a Russian Japanese phase
of the war, there will be diversion Of
American naval and military effort to
assist in pushing sea lane through the
islands north of Japan and in captur-
ing air bases for our Army Air Forces
to use in that area.
The whole nature of our war in the
Pacific could be altered by a sudden
change in Tokyo policy.
All this brings up the question of
for President Roosevelt and Prime Min
ister Churchill to modify the lines
which were drawn on the global maps
in 1912 just after the United States en-
tered the war. The American forces
were given command of everything east
of Singapore. In the American area
Gen. Macarthur was given command
OF everything south of the Equator and
west Of line that ran north and south
through the Solomons Islands. Admiral
Nlmltz was given command of every
thing north and east of that same line.
Now it appears that, as we have cap
tured the Philippines, Gen. MacArthurs
command can be enlarged and that the
British Southeastern Asia theater can
be widened to take in some of Gen,
MacArthur's former area south of the
Equator. The American commanders
probably would be happy to have the
British take over east of Singapore as
far as the Solomons and northward as
far as the lower end of the Philippines.
Would Free Our Forces.
Thus the Australian and British
forces would mop up the Netherlands
East Indies and Indo-China as well as
Burma, and the American Army and
Navy would be free to concentrate
north OF the Equator and especially In
the vicinity of the East China Sea and
the Sea of Japan.
Ultimately an American commander
In chief of land forces to invade China
and Japan would have to be appointed,
but until the Navy opens the way for
that contingency it seems unnecessary
to make the command appointments.
1t may be taken for granted that Ad-
miral Nimitz will command all sea op-
erations and the landings on new bases
to be acquired, but when any substan-
tial body of troops is landed anywhere
north Of the Philippines, Gen. MacAr-
thur is the logical man for commander
in chief. Russia doubtless would MAIN
tain her own theater of operations un-
der her own command in Siberia, but
some American Russian joint naval
operations may become necessary.
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