COMMENT IN U.S.

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 21, 20 October 1941, Page 8

COMMENT IN U.S.

Set-Back For The Axis Seen MR. TOGO’S INFLUENCE Country Saved From The Extremists (Received October 19, 7 p.m.) NEW YORK, October 18. Observers in Washington believe that Japan’s new Cabinet line-up means that the country has been saved from the, extremists. Mr. Togo’s appointment as Foreign Minister is regarded as a set-back for Axis sympathizers because Mr. Togo was recalled from Moscow when the former Foreign Minister, Mr. Matsuoka, was attempting to swing Japan to the Axis. Thus his return to influence is considered to be ■ a further repudiation •of Mr. Matusoka’s pro-Axis jrolicies,

Mr. Togo lately, has been acting us mi unofficial adviser to the Foreign Office and his policies have been contrary to the Axis tendencies. Moderate Policies Supported. The first reaction in Washington to the selection of General Tojo was relief; says the Washington correspondent of the United Press. General Tojo is regarded in the United States as among the more conservative of the aggressive nationalists. It is said that he is not particularly interested, in Germany’s fate, aud that he hits consistently supported Prince Konoye’s moderate policies.

The Emperor's summons to Admiral Oikawa was presumably to command him, as the representative of the navy, to support the new army Cabinet. Diplomatic circles in Tokio point out while the Tojo Cabinet will be the first - full-dress military Government, with the army openly responsible for decisions instead of being screened behind a civilian Prime Minister, it is not necessarily pro-Axis. Japanese mobilization is being rapidly pushed ahead, reports Mr. Otto D. Tolischus, Tokio correspondent of the "New York Times.” Why Koyone Fell. Prince Konoye’s Cabinet fell, he says, because of a complete cleavage in Japan on two major issues—first, whether Japan should reach an agreement with the United States at the cost of substantial Japanese concessions; second, whether the country should line lip with Germany to make the Axis Paet an active alliance. Prince Konoye and his supporters evidently staked everything on bis l>eace message to President Roosevelt, but the slow progress of the negotiations, coupled witli the confinutition of what is termed “Anglo-American encirclement” and the new German victories in Russia caused such vehement demands for immediate action that Cabinet split wide apart. Leading Japanese newspapers insist that unless the United States is ready to recognize Japan’s “immutable policies,” agreement between lhe two countries is wellnigh impossible.