Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-05-07
Jap Wars Early End
Is Seen at Conference

Is Seen at Conference
Business Chiefs Urging Military
To Submit Now, Says Observer
By David Laurence, -:
SAN FRANCISCO, May There are
so many difncult and delicate issues
here in the background of the relations
between the major powers that it is
distortion of perspective to give undue
emphasis to any one of them.
Thus the Polish mixup is important
but by no means the factor in the over
all situation that 1t appears to be on the
surface. The underlying relationship
between the United States, and Britain.
on the one hand. and Russia. on the
other, is one of friendship and commons
purpose. That purpose now is to staoi-
lie Europe and bring the war in the
Far East to a successful conclusion
For obviously the present-sized armies
of all the Allies in Europe will not be
needed there and our military power
can be Immediately shifted to the
Pacific.
There is much more optimism in the
air now than before about a possible
early ending Of the japanese war. Some
Far Eastern authorities here say Japa-
nese business interests will urge the
military leaders to submit now to Brit
ain and the United States and China
rather than wait the possible confusion
and permanent realignment of power in
the Far East that could come If Russia
entered the war.
Know Jig Is Up.
Will Japan, therefore, consider uncon-
ditional surrender in the next four or
five months? Her statesmen know that
the Jig is up anyway. Will they wait to
see Japan in a shambles such as Ger
many Is today-or will they move to
set up the Japanese Empire in Man.
churia only to encounter there ulti-
mately big armies from all sides when
military strength, especially vast air
| power units, can be transferred from
Europe? Japan will have to make her
momentous decision within the next two
| or three months.
The San Francisco Conference Is
making substantial progress even
though the major representatives here
have their eyes on the closing scenes of
the European war and are anxious to
get back" to tackle the manifold ques-
lions arising there of political as well
as an economic nature. The conference
needs several weeks more to do a thor
ough job and it would not be surprising
If adjournment came with some qlles-
lions deferred for future meeting of
the United Nations organization.
Thus it would appear that the trus-
teeshlp question can wisely be post
| poned. Much Of the debate about 1t is
humbuggery and hypocrisy. Nations
which want control of certain terri
tories are talking piously about "trus-
teeship" in terms that really mean an
nexation but they hesitate to call it
that. 1t would be far better If each
nation that wants an important "trus-
teeship" for strategic reasons were re-
| CURED to justify that view before the
bar of public opinion and If q good
case could be made out then the area
should be annexed completely without
mincing words.
Take, for instance. the small area Of
| 28 miles square wanted by the United
States in the Pacific. There's little use
calling ''trusteeship" when there are
no economic resources or problems OF
dependent peoples involved. So long as
Russia was given at Yalta the right
to annex third 81 Poland for strate-
gic security, it Is proper for the United
States to annex strategic islands needed
for air bases in the Pacific The Yalta
agreement of course superseded the At
lantic Charter on the ground of ma
tional security.
Other Points in Debate.
AS for other points in debate here,
the American people are not yet &C
quainted with the full implications Of
one or two of the amendments being
considered but not yet approved. Under
one of them the United States, in effect,
gives up its right derived from the
Monroe Doctrine to act unilaterally In
this hemisphere and also permits Brit
ain and Russia equal voice in Latin
America. But for that one concession
the United States now asks equal voict
In European affairs. This comes abou,
through the proposed amendment tina
regional agreement shall not be enforced
without the sanction of the Security
Council. Hence the Franco Russian pact
and other regional treaties of similar
nature that permit the use of force
must come under international review
before being put into operation In any
specific case except where the enemy
countries of the present war are plainly
involved.
Under one official Interpretation cur
rent here over the week end either
France or Russia could decide for them
selves that something happening In
Spain or Italy or anywhere else was an
act calculated to assist Germany ia
return to aggression and then the provi-
sions of the Franco Russian treaty
could be brought into force. To prevent
such separate war" from arising 1t l.
being insisted by the United States and
others here that no force should be used
anywhere except against Germany I'M
less sanctioned directly by the Security
Council where, of course, the United
States, Britain and Russia each have
veto power.
Russia and France are not yet In