Aolopment im connection with -the Far doubt the most important i t
the warning which M. the United States through Far Eastern por relations between the Soviet Union Dos event the maintenance oí d
as an inimical act towards Russia. This is a complete reply to the various statements by Japanese Government officials that they Would view with concern any attempts to Send war supplies to Russia vià Vladivostok, because such supplies would have to pass in close proximity to Japan. It must be confessed that the reason given is a remarkably poor one for there is no reason whatever why a Japan, at peace with Russia and partner tó a neutrality pact with her, should seek to modify that neutrality by hampering Russia's resistance to the German invasion.
The fact of the matter is that Japan as a signatory to the Tripartite Alliance. on the one hand: and a neutrality pact with Russia, yin the other, is in no position to honour both commitments, for she has either to act as an Axis partner, or remain strictly neutral.
would seem that, in seeking to interfere with the normal trade between Soviet Russia and the United States, Japan is endeavouring to give what assistance it can to Germany without herself becoming involved in war. M. Molotov's warning should be sufficient indication to the Japanese Government that such an equivocal policy cannot be followed without serious results, and any attempt to prevent sea-borne cargoes of war material reaching Vladivostok will be regarded as a hostile act.. M. Molotov, on behalf of the Soviet Government, gave assurance that the goods purchased in the United States were destined above all to satisfy the urgent needs of the Soviet Union in the west, arising from the defensive war she has been compelled to wage, as well as the normal economic needs of Far Eastern Russia.
That is to be taken as indicating that the Japanese fears that the war material the Soviet is importing may be used to strengthen the Soviet forces in Siberia and the Maritime Provinces are groundless, and that no increased menace to Japan is to be found in these importations. At present there are shipments of gasoline and oil crossing the Pacific with Vladivostok as their destination. It is possible that peace in the Pacific depends very largely on what action Japan ^xhooses to take with regard to them in the very near future, for, in the light of M. Molotov's warning, it is clear that interference by the Japanese with these vessels will evoke most serious repercussions. Obyiously, if Japan seeks to seize those vessels. or prevent them reaching their destination, she will in fact have created a blockade of the Siberian coast, and that sas complete an act of war could possibly be imagined... Abs neutrality which Japan promised, when Mè. Matsuoka signed the pact in Moscow, demands that the Japanese should remain strictly aloof from the Soviet-German war, and that means that good faith requires that Japan should do nothing which might prejudice Russia's chances in her fight with the invader of her territories.
The hectic intrigue which is being in Tokyo by the German representatives to persuade Japan to take action can well be imagined.. Nothing would suit them better than that Japan should be dragged willy-nilly into this war one way or another. German fifth columnists. will doubtless be assisted by those extremists who still profess to believe that Japan has a good chance of carrying out her. expansionist policies either in the north or the south. Yet it is to be hoped for the sake of Japan that. wiser counsels will prevail, for it must in all frank~ ness be said that, after four years of most expensive warfare, in China, Japan is in no position to wage the much more costly war which would, result, should she seek to clash with Russia, Japan is in no condition to take on all-comers as some of her military extremists would like the world io believe, and the experiences of the past have shown that the Japanese land forces
the Russians should Tokyo be so imprudent are likely to receive rough handling from as to take any such action as that against which M. Molotov has so frankly warned it.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.