Evening star., 1945-08-31
Reports
Continued From First Page

that would mean complete reversal
of Japan's aggressive policy"
Authoritative reports" that ia
pan was preparing "a new aggres-
sive move in the South Pacific with
in the next few days" also were
disclosed in The Stars November
q story.
1t added that the japanese &C
ton was taken to indicate re-
lection" of the American peace
formula, although the possibility
OF further negotiations was not def
initely ruled out"
With this document clearing the
atmosphere, The Star story stated.
the issue Of peace or war in the
Pacific was said to be squarely up
to Japan
In reporting arrangements for a
meeting between President Roose-
welt and the japanese ENJOYS here
for the afternoon of November 27,
The Star story that day said it
may be the last of series of peace
or war discussions.
Hull's Insistence Made Clear.
Mr.. Hull's insistence, in a letter
written TO Secretary of War Slim
son last September % and made
public by the State Department last
night, also was reflected IN The
Star story at the time.
prnCnntofinn nF
American formula-referred to in
the Army board report as the so
called ultimatum was described
in the November y Star as an
effort TO establish basis for
negotiating a peaceful settlement
of the Far Eastern crisis"
Information available to newspa-
per correspondents at the State
Department at the time made it
possible to report the substance of
the "document" HANDED the Japa-
nese.
The Star story said it was
formal restatement" of American
principles, together with propos-
ais for their practical application to
specific conditions in the Orient"
which would involve abandonment
of aggression by Japan, withdrawal
of japanese troops from China and
rejection by Japan of her Axis ties"
Little Optimism Noted.
Emphasizing the critical nature
OF the situation then, The Star
story reported there were no indi-
cations of agreement by Japan with
any of these principles" and that
there was little optimism concern
ing chances OF progress toward a
peaceful solution" being made at
the White House meeting that aft
ernoon.
A later story in The Star. after
the japanese ENJOYS talked with
the President, reported they would
not say whether the formula pre-
sented by the United States for rec
onciling conflicting interests in the
Pacific provided a basis for fur
ther negotiations.
They made clear" the story
added, that they were awaiting in
structions from Tokyo as to fur
ther procedure"
The Army boards report says
that in that fateful conference
President Roosevelt "reaffirmed with
finality'' the l0-point American
formula.
In Hands Of Military.
Mr.. Hull later disclosed that in
war council meetings on November
rs and % he had stated there was
practically no possibility of achiev-
ing an agreement with Japan land
that the matter of safeguarding our
national security was in the hands
of the Army and Navy"
This opinion of Mr.. Hull was re-
fected in statement in The Star
November q story that American
efforts to dissipate the menace of
further Japanese aggression "by
peaceful means appear to have been
exhausted" with presentation of the
l0-point formula.
The prevailing opinion in official
circles that the japanese would
strike southwark toward Pearl Har-
Dor vas reflected in further para
graph of The Star story stating that
Authoritative sources here looked
to the South Pacific as the likely
theater of operations if Japan's
answer is decision to resume
armed expansion" 1t named Thai
land and Singapore among the most
70 4k