Feb. 22.
It is to be regretted that, the Japanese Press is making so much out of the fact that the Government of the United States has decided to create further bases in the Pacific, and that the British have reinforced the garrison in Malaya. The comment for which they are responsible cannot but have an unfortunate effect upon public opinion in Japan, and serve to inflame it at a time when the greatest prudence and caution is necessary. Fortunately it is not likely to stampede the Japanese Government into precipitate action. Not by any stretch of the imagination can the purely defensive steps which the United States and Great Britain be converted into preparations for an offensive against Japan, for they ate taken for the purpose of securing adequate protection in the event of the extremists in Japan pushing things too far. Tt has been said time and time again that neither Great Britain, nor the United States desires war in the Pacific. They will certainly' not start one. But they are determined that, their interests in this part of the world shall' be respected, and will move in defence of them if they are threatened.
'That is a plain ment of a plain truth. If there is {o be any war in the Pacific the' responsibility will rest solely upon the shoulders of those men at present in control of the Japanese Government, inspired by grandiose ambitions which can only result the further impoverishment of their country. It has been made quite clear them in declarations which permit of not the dightest doubt, that Britain and the! United States will resist any more attempts to alter the status quo. Neither of them are particularly impressed by the Japanese claim. to be establishing a "new order" in the Far East, whether it is of ce-prosperity, as 1s alleged, or whether it is simply to be a political, economic and military hegemony of this) part of the world under the aegis of Japan. They will continue to insist upon full respect for their rights and interests which they have honourably acquired in this part of the world, and will undoubtedly defend them if they are menaced.
The issue cannot possibly be stated more plainly than that, Great Britain which is fighting to prevent the establishment of Hitler's new order in Europe will not tolerate the establishment of one elsewhere calculated to threaten her interests. Neither will the United States which have not yet become involved in warfare. Neither do they contemplate anything in the nature of an attack on Japan, but they are clearly preparing to fight a defensive war should rashness on the part of the Japanese Government bring, one about. Viewed in that light the decisions by the British and American Government, with regard to Singapore in the first case, and additional bases in the Pacific in the other are purely defensive, just as defensive as would be similar action taken by Japan in her own possessions.
It needs 0 be emphasized that the present Japanese Government and the Japanese Press are merely playing Hitler's game in the Far East for him. He greatly desires that Great Briain should be foreed to fight on two fronts, in Europe and the Far East, and that the United States by becoming involved with Japan should be, prevented from maintaining US. supplies of war material for Britain. President Roosevelt has definitely said that should there be war in the Pacific supplies
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.