Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-07-15

Navy James v. Forrestal is putting to
audiences of businessmen and civic Of
ficials throughout the country whenever
he has an opportunity to get away from
his crowded desk in Washington.
1t is not a rhetorical question and
Forrestal who is positive on many other
| matters, says that he does not have the
to think through this subject first, for
the immediate purpose of learning
whether they realize the cost in blood
tears and treasure We will have to pay
in conquering Japan, and, second, for
the longer range and more important
determination of how we and other
United Nations can maintain peace in
the Pacific and in Asia. and hence, the
world.
Forrestal, like other cabinet officers in
wartime, will grant no individual inter-
views, but from his public statements,
his testimony before congressional COM
mittees and reports from private gath
erings, usually of public leaders, it is
possible to work out coherent and
unified exposition of his views of the
Far Eastern topic, which in the long
perspective overshadows the European
threat of future wars.
Three Main Headings.
These views can be tabulated under
three main headings:
/. This country's special and immedi-
ate interest in the Pacific and in Asia.
2. The necessity of American CO.
operation with other United Nations in
the creating and maintaining world
security organization.
3. The urgent need to build a per-
sonnet system to attract and hold in
telligent, industrious and impartial men
and women who can effectively admin
lister governmental policies at home and
abroad. Conversely, these administra-
tive officials would supply factual in
formation to the policymakers for guild
ance on higher levels.
AS do all Navy men, Forrestal says
that the defeat of Japan is inevitable.
He is looking past VI day to the post
war problems demanding solution, and
particularly for a definite stand by the
people of the United States.
No formulas, he thinks, can be drafted
at this time which will meet these
problems because there are too many
variants, such as Soviet Russia's at
titude toward Manchuria, China's abil-
ity to make use of the natural resources
of Asia, this country's willingness or
unwillingness to fight preventive war,
and a variety of other unforeseeable
events which, are certain to arise to
threaten world peace.
Part of Postwar Pattern.
The Japanese situation, which began
as a naval problem, is only part of
postwar world pattern, and the three
points dovetail.
Here are his Celebrations of these
points:
After the defeat of Japan, this coun-
try must control strategic areas" in the
Pacific and elsewhere for the protection
of this country and this hemisphere, so
there can never be another Pearl Har-
Dor attack Whether this shall be out
right possession, lease or through some
mechanism of the United Nations or
ganization, the United States must have
universally of strategy designed to
protect us from all potential aggressors.
Had the japanese gained adequate air
bases in the Aleutians, the 500 Locks in
the Great Lakes would have been endan-
gered. had the Germans occupied Iceland,
Detroit and Chicago might we'll have
come within range of their bombers.
The japanese people, like the Ger
mans, must be deprived of all means of
making war. The job of graduating the
Japanese military leaders and re-edu-
eating the Japanese people, however,
will be longer and much more difficult
than in Germany, because Shintoism,
which includes Emperor and ancestor
worship, has been used by the military
cast to dominate the minds of all jap
anese from birth. To the Japanese, the
Emperor Is both Caesar and Pope. The
rigid feudalistic system gives the military
the only contact with the Emperor.
Secretary Forrestal is inclined to go
along with former Ambassador Joseph
c. Grew in believing that the Emperor
should be spared for peace negotiations,
but he realizes that this may compli-
cate the longer range re-educational
program. His reasoning is that after
the japanese on the home islands are
conquered, fighting may continue for
years in Manchuria unless the Emperor
calls halt. Probably no other Japanese
leader could give such an order. For
restal raises these questions: Would the
Emperor as martyr be more danger
Gus than as a living god"? Could the
so-called liberal elements, meaning the
intellectuals and the merchants, get
access to the Emperor.
Wants American Thought.
He does not have the answer to these
questions, but he points out that Amer
lean humanitarianism will not permit us
to annihilate million persons, includ-
ing women and children, after the war is
over.
He wants the American people to
think about their own answers.
On the larger point Of American CO.
operation in the international security
organization, he thinks the American
people should not believe that they can
forget the United Nations Charter after
1t is ratified by the Senate.
We must recognize, he says, that we
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of stability in the world. We must face