Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-02-11
Japanese May Seek Peace
To Avoid War With Russia
One Group Reported Asking Negotiated 'Uncondi'
tional Surrender Fearing Defeat of Nazis
May Add to Pacific Belligerents.
Bv Constantine Brown

~ OnSf0nl
The war is rapidly coming to an end.
In Europe, the organized resistance Of
the German forces is likely to be ter
minated within the next two months.
A major sea battle may soon take place
In the Pacific. American high officials
do not question it's outcome, and it may
be the Japs' last major naval effort of
the war.
The Tokyo government may be forced
into surrender sooner than most opti-
mistic observers believed possible. With
In short time Japan's home islands are
expected to be the daily targets of
American land-based aviation.
The establishment of American naval
bases in the Philippines and other places
will sever the lines of communication
between the Japanese homeland and the
rich islands in the South Pacific which
since the end of 1912 have been providing
the Japanese factories with vital raw
materials.
The probable Intervention of Russia
In the war against Japan will further
tax the defensive ability of the Japa-
nese land forces in Asia. But even with
out that Intervention, most military
observers who have returned from the
Pacific and have leaned toward opti-
the Japanese resistance is rapidly
dwindhng.
Hope to Save Something.
This unexpected turn Is not due so
much to the exhaustion of Japan's abil-
ity to continue to fight as to the desire
of large and heretofore unheard group
Of Japanese who want to save something
out of the wreck. This group believes
the American Government is under
standing" and that the overthrow of the
clique which has developed the idea of
Greater East Asia under the domination
of Japan might be accepted as uncon-
ditional surrender in the United States.
According to reports which appear
reliable, the japanese believe the Amer
lean people would not be opposed to the
maintenance of the dynasty. The En-
peror of Japan would form a govern
ment, choosing as his advisers those re-
manning liberals who have not been
purged but have gone underground since
the outbreak of the war. Such gov
eminent would agree to withdrawal
from all the ill-gained possessions in
China and the South Pacific, agree to
whatever military terms might be
exacted by the United States and throw
Japan at the mercy of this country.
Little has been revealed about the
devious approaches of some of the Japa-
nese liberals" who have suggested that
Americas own future defenes in, the Far
East will have to depend on friendly
Japan in the same way Russia's security
and power in Europe depends on friend
ly' border governments in Poland. the
Balkans and, in all likelihood, Germany.
In plain English, some of the japanese
liberals" who did their utmost to avoid
war with America suggest that Japan
become "puppet" of the United States.
And they argue that in self-defense
America should accept this suggestion,
particularly if it is clothed in humility.
Want Terms Like Italy's.
The form of this humility would be
the acceptance of all the unconditional
surrender demands with the tacit under
standing that they will be no harsher
than those imposed on Italy. The Japs
indirect efforts are concentrated par
ticularly on the United States since
already there is fairly strong group
which is advocating an early peace with
Japan: The possibility that Russia soon
may enter the Far Eastern arena with a
strong force from Siberia has fastened
the efforts of "negotiators." These men
are not necessarily japanese but they
claim to speak for Emperor Hirohito and
the few remaining political leaders who
opposed the war against America be-
cause they realized it would end in a
disaster for Japan.
The reported approaches started about
three months ago when the japanese
gained the definite impression that as
soon as the Germans were defeated the
Russians would turn their forces to the
Far East Recent dispatches from Mos
COW which described the japanese as
aggressors were only the outward signs
of what Premier Stain had in mind.
The japanese became fearful of Russia's
Intervention when their agents in Siberia
began to report significant concentra-
ton of Russian troops, planes and war
material at strategic points north OF
Manchukuo. They were equally suspi-
cious of Russia's intentions when little
publicized Free Korean government was
organized in Siberia.
In a nutshell, the individuals who say
they are speaking with the consent of
Emperor Hirohito assert that Russia's
Intervention in the Far Eastern war will
result in the establishment of a Free
Korea and Manchuria and the setting
up of friendly" government dominated
by the Communists in Northwestern
China. They point out that the Free
Korean and Manchurian governments
will be equally dominated by individuals
who have been coached recently in Mos
COW and will direct their activities to-
ward a full political cooperation with
the USSR. They admit that under such
circumstances Japan will perish Or
under the best circumstances be-
come 10th rate power such as Thai.
Stain Doesn't Forget.
The old antagonism between Czarist
Russia and Japan which was climaxed
by the defeat of Imperial Russia in 1905
has never been healed in spite of the
apparent improved relations between