Evening star., 1945-07-18
Jups Seen Out to Place
Views Before Big Three
Russia Assumed to Be Playing
Role in Discussions, Says Writer
BY David Laurence

Role in Discussions, Says Writer
BY Dapid Laurence
A brief dispatch from Tokyo announce
ing that the Japanese Ambassador to
Russia conferred with Foreign Com
missar MoIotoy in Moscow last We'd
nesday may have transcendent impor-
tance.
On the eve OF the departure of Mar
shall Stain and Mr.. Molotoy for the Big
Three meeting in Potsdam, it would be
natural for the Japanese government
to seek to place its views before that
conference II there Is at the moment
any plan in Japan to arrange a sur
render.
Acting Secretary Grew OF the State
Department publicly has discouraged the
informal, roundabout peace feeler
method Of approach. That leaves the
direct method Japan is still at peace
with Russia. The japanese Ambassador
has unrestricted facilities of communi-
cation between Moscow and Tokyo.
Obviously when the japanese AM
bassador seeks an audience, it is not
because Of any routine business. II this
were the case, some subordinate in the
Foreign Once at Moscow would attend
to it. The meeting must have been i'm
portant or else Tokyo would not have
broadcast the fact that it occurred.
Fishing for Information?
The japanese Ambassador, of course,
might have sought to learn from Mr..
Molotov whether Russia intends to re-
main neutral or enter the war. The
Japanese have been in quandary about
1t ever since the fateful day last April
when formal notice was given of the
intention of Russia to terminate the
nonaggression treaty as of April, 1916.
The Russians have huge army on the
Manchurian border. The Japanese are
maintaining big army there, too, for
protective purposes. II the japanese
have asked about Russias intentions,
it Is probably that they have already
gotten a noncommittal answer.
Much more plausible, therefore, is the
assumption that Russia is playing q
vital role in any discussions which
Japan may be initiating looking toward
an ending of the war. 1t will be noted
that T. v. Soong. Premier Of China, has
been in Moscow for two weeks and has
just returned to Chungking. What did
he talk about? Probably the territorial
arrangements which might develop
soon in the Far East, especially since
1t is apparent that Russia wants her
maritime provinces and particularly
wishes to regain Dairen, formerly Port
Arthur, port on the Yellow Sea which
was wrested from Russia by Japan in
the Russo-Japanese War of le04-5.
1t would be quite natural for the head
Of the Chunking government to have
an intimate talk with the. Moscow au-
thorities concerning Far Eastern ques-
tons at this time BECAUSE Russia was
not a signatory to the Cairo Declara-
ton which outlined the aims of Great
Britain, China and the United States
with reference to postwar territorial ar
rangements in the Far East.
FdCtiOns InSiue Gnlna.
The fact that northern Communist
armies in China represent a separate
faction inside China which must be
consolidated in a military sense with
the Chungking armies, at least for the
duration of the war against Japan.
presents in itself problem which could
hardly be solved without some intima-
ton from Russia as to her attitude.
especially since Moscow Is known to be
on the friendliest terms with the Chi
nese Communists.
With such an important conference
going on, it is possible that the
Japanese Ambassador may have done
bit of peace feeling himself with
Mr.. Soong while the latter was in
Moscow. If this war in the Far East
is to be settled by a surrender in the
immediate future, 1t may turn out that
Moscow was the place and last week
! was the time when the foundations
| we're laid for the consummation of such
/ an event
/ 1t must be noted, too. that while the
! United States and Great Britain can
! insist on the word unconditional" al
an adjective descriptive of their firm
attitude, no such inhibitions need gov
ern Russia, which theoretically at least
/ is still neutral and can act as a go-be.
between or mediator and even counselol
/ to both sides. Russian officials may
well reason that II they can bring
about an ending of the war by means
! OF Japanese surrender at this time
] they will spare their own troops fur
ther bloodshed and be portrayed In the
world as nation whose basic purpose
Is the achievement of peace. The test
of course, is what happens to Japan, and
the only basis for settlement, no mat
ter by what phrase 1t Is described, is
that the Japanese people must know
and the Far Eastern peoples must know
that the Japanese Army, Navy and Air
Forces have been completely and deci-
sively beaten.
Reproduction Rights Reserved)