Oct. 10, While no progress appears to have been made in connection with the exploratory talks which have been proceeding be~ tween Tokyo and Washington, it is possible that the return of Mr, Kename Wakasugi, Japanese Minister-at-Large, to~ the American capital may lead to further attempts to break down what is now a slale~ mate, At the same time, however, there can be no gainsaying the fact that the decision of Great Britain, the United States and the Netherlands exiled Government to stop all shipments of of to Japan must of necessity tend further towards the deterioration of the situation. The decision does not in fact amount to very much more than what has, already been done, but it tightens up a state of affairs in which but meagre supplies of all were reaching Japan from sources under the contro! of the three democracies. 'This latest decision may, therefore, be taken as merely regularizing' a condition which had already existed, completing the imposition of sanctions already in operation for about three months.
Whether this will assist the German pressure which is being increasingly applied in Tokyo in an endeavour to get Japan declare war upon the United States remains to be seen, Hitler is becoming more and more anxious as the days pass to get America into the war in the belief that, if that could be brought about, the great assistance which Is being given Britain and that which will shortly become available for Russia would be cut off because of American need to equip the forces of the western hemisphere. It does not follow that if the United States were involved in war such a result would inevitably follow, for the United States are fully prepared for any such struggle os a war with Japan would involve, and that at the very most all that would' be likely to occur would be a slight diminution of the cet es (ARs sarwand: to, the Alties, Probably the intrigues of the Germans in Japan would have succeeded long ago it it were not for the fact that there are influential moderate clements in Japan' who realize that the country, after four years' struggle in China is inno real position, financially, economically and militarily to engage In a war with a first class Power.
Hitler probably knows that just as well as other people, but it matters not one fora to him whether' that is so or not, so long as he can bend Japan to servo his own needs. It needs to be strongly emphasized that the only reason for the great display of German friendship for Japan is that the latter may by It be persuaded to draw some of Hitler's chestnuts out of the fire of his own making. The prospect of Japan being severely defeated if she entered upon any such ndventure,—and there 1s a very distinct probability that that would occur,—welghs as nothing to Hitler" against the' benefits he imagines he would obtain if the United States were more deeply preoccupied in the Pacific, Fortunately the Japanese Government is still preserving a cautious attitude, which cannot be'sald for the Japanese Press, 'The latter seems intent upon' beating the war drums
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.