LITTLE PROSPECT OF PEACE TREATY WITH JAPAN JUST YET

Wanganui Chronicle, 11 May 1948, Page 5

LITTLE PROSPECT OF PEACE TREATY WITH JAPAN JUST YET

(N.Z.P. A.—Copyright.) Recd. 8.40 p.m. London, May 10. "There is no prospect of a peace treaty with Japan in the near future.” states “The Economist,” reviewing the situation there. “Russian insistence of the framing of the treaty by the Council ot Foreign Ministers,” it continues, “is quite unacceptable to the United States, for it would enable Russia, by obtructive use of veto, to impose terms which could not be obtained under present conditions. “In negotiating a peace treaty with Japan, Russia would have all the advantage in the veto game, for Russia's territorial gains—Karafuto, The Kuriles, Port Arthur and the Manchurian trunk railway s--were secured by Russia at Yalta without any cortesponding promises to the United States.”

Russia has skimmed the cream of Japan's possible reparations assets by looting Manchurian industrial plant. In the American view Russia already has been handsomely overpaid for its one week campaign at the end of the Pacific war, and, “The Economist” comments: “To übmit American proposals to Russian veto blackmailing would merely mean either bribing Russia to sign the Treaty or having to break up the conference after a prolonged wrangle. “China's attitude,” the journal continues,” is a further complication, for it favours a Four Power decision with a veto right as the best way of safeguarding its own Interests. Britain, on the other hand, agrees with the United States in wanting a conference ot all the nations engaged in the Pacific war, with majority voting and no veto, particularly in rder to allow Australia and New Zealand a fair share in the making of the Treaty, which they earned by a great contribution to the common victory.

“If there is not going to be a peace treaty the present legally indeterminate state of affairs must ccvtinue, only with more irrevocable decisions, being taken by the defactor Arneri* can policy. The Americans have real Sower and an equally real liability in apan, and indications are that they are not going to wait for the everreceding peace conference before decisively arranging matters which will shape Japan's future.” “The Economist” thinks that, given the stability which can be ensured by continued American occupation, the problems involved in Japan’s economic rehabilitation should be discussed with the United States by Britain, Australia and other interested parties within the framework of an extended Marshall Plan for world trade recovery. The British Foreign Secretary (Mr. Bevin), it addsd, cannot continue indefinitely the policy of letting sleeping dogs lie. , If he attempts to do so he will merely exasperate the Labour Government in Australia, which, with the best will in the world, cannot effectively protect British interests without a more active policy from London.