Evening star., 1949-11-03
A Peace Treaty for Jupon?

information that the American and
British Governments have decided to re-
open the question of a Japanese peace
treaty draws attention to another complex
and controversial problem of the post
war settlement. This decision presumably
was taken on American initiative, because
for more than two years the State Depart
ment has been in favor of japanese
peace settlement. Hitherto, our efforts
have been blocked, chiefly by the non
cooperation of the Soviet Union. How
ever, number of recent developments,
notably the crisis over China, have intensi-
fled the urgency of action on the matter.
1t should be understood that, while the
occupation of Japan has been effectively
exercised by the United States under the
administration of General Douglas Mac
Arthur, the armistice terms that concluded
the war were participated in by all the
nations which had suffered from japanese
aggression. These included not only the
f1ve Great Powers"-America, Britain,
China, France and Soviet Russia-but also
Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands
and the Philippines. All of them are
members of the Far Eastern Commission
which has supervisory competence regard
ing the occupation, and the United States
contends that all have legal and moral
right to be consulted and participate in
japanese peace conference
That contention has, however, been
consistently opposed by Soviet Russia,
which has argued instead that the matter
be handled by itself, the United States,
Britain and China That Russian opposi-
ton ended the first American diplomatic
initiative two years ago. But Moscow
again urged its thesis at the Paris meeting
of the Council of Foreign Ministers last
May. That proposal was again rejected
by Secretary of State Dean Acheson. His
argument was that some of the lesser
powers on the Far Eastern Commission
had played more active role in the
Far Eastern war than had Soviet Russia
and made much greater sacrifices, which
entitled them to full participation. It was
also obvious that the increasing likelihood
OF Communist victory In China made the
Russian proposal more distasteful than
ever to the Western nations, since it en-
visaged the possibility of a Communist
China standing with Russia and thus Gre
N'AAA6 Gil CScu SpIAC LUZ soviet DlOC IN
the restricted four-power meeting which
Moscow proposed.
Moscow's non-co-operation has raised
the question of making japanese peace
treaty without its participation, despite
the obvious difficulties that this would
entail. Meanwhile, the Japanese are
getting increasingly restive under their
anomalous situation, entailing serious eco
nomic handicaps, especially in view of
the fact that our occupation authorities
and our State Department concur in the
fitness of the japanese for a peace settle
ment. And it is further felt by us that
indefinite continuation of the present
status will be exploited by Communist
propaganda.
The exploratory talks now going on
between Washington and London are ex-
pected to lay the basis for wider discus
sions between all members of the Far
Eastern Commission, with the possible
exception OF the Soviet Union If Moscow
remains intransigent. This might clear
the way for definite action.