June 2.
Amongst the milder sensations arising from President Roosevelt's fireside chat last week the fact that he made no reference to US.-Japanese relations. There was no reason why he should, for the attitude' of the United States Government towards problems the Pacific has already been so well defined that it would have been entirely superfluous to have done so. It is a noteworthy fact that, following the return of Mr. Matsuoka from his European trip, the Japanese press remain ed exceptionally subdued on the subject of the Tripartite Pact, and there was much talk of seeking to effect a velter understanding with the United States, the suggestions involving a visit by the Japanese Foreign Minister to the United States, or the issuing fof an Invitation to President Roosevelt, to pay a visit to Tokyo. Nothing came of either Idea. On Friday answering certain rumours the American Press to the effect that Japan was becoming indifferent towards the Three Power Pact, Mr, Matsuoka averred that that instrument stil remained the basis of Japan' foreign policy, that Japan's fundamental policy has for a long time been firmly estab-Hished ud has undergone no change whatever. What that means only the future will show, but it should be borne in mind tha if the Japanese Government is firmly established ints policies, so also are the Government of the United States and Great Britain, Tt follows that there can be no real bet~ ferment in the situation in the Pacific so ong as Japan follows present trends. must be obvious to any thinking Japanese that, so long as their country is so closely allied to the Axis, it is Impossible to reach the desired better understanding between Japan and the two great democracies, and the main obstacle to the clearing away of differences between them in this part of the world Is that Japan signed the Tripartite Pact last year. That this was done at the behest of the rllitary extremists at present in Power In Japan does not in any way modify the fact that Japan has been lead to range herself on the side opposed to the es allan fe and treasure for
than another nation—brought under the by: the Gestapo has reduced it to no micro dominance of Hitler, with Mussolini a mere puppet to execute' Hitler's bidding. All idea poppet equal partnership between Germany and Italy has long since disappeared, and reasonable to suppose for one moment 'a victorious Hitler would permit even jin the spoils of war? When the Bthiopian leopard his spots, when it maybe PO when Ie ey nis, being gently led up th Japan. 8 P Geeamany's purposes and garden path to 20°0° gin she will have made atthe m8 a notin, Tata victory, for Britain and, er quaily sure shoud Hitler but would Be a, ower, he will not
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.