LITTLE SURPRISE IN LONDON

Evening Star, Issue 23693, 28 September 1940, Page 11

LITTLE SURPRISE IN LONDON

NO OFFICIAL COMMENT AS YET (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 27. (Received September 28, at 10.20 a.ra.) The announcement by the German radio that a military pact has been signed between Germany, Italy, and Japan has caused little surprise in London in view of the flood of propaganda from German, and, as usual, from faithfully echoing Italian, sources which preceded it. No official comment is offered in London on the pact. The authorities here are at present dependent for their information on the pact on public pronouncements from Berlin, although reports of the sanctioning of the alliance by the Emperor of Japan had prepared tiie way for such an announcement. Although authoritative British comment for the present is withheld, it is noted that the ecstatic effusion with which Berlin greeted the development is in marked contrast to the reserved comment from Japan. While there is no inclination here to assume that this apparent lack of enthusiasm denotes coolness in Japan towards the new move, unofficial observers of the general situation in London find it difficult to discover what Japan may expect to get out of the agreement. It is, in their view, equally obscure what raw materials or other assistance can be contributed by Germany and Italy, who are now putting forward their maximum effort against the British Empire.

The reference to the Japanese “ new order for Asia ” appears purely academic. There is, indeed, no sign that Japan needs German and Italian assistance in promoting the plans she has conceived independently. Neither Germany nor Italy is, in fact, in a position to make any contribution whatever. The agreement, in short, appears designed to have a maximum propaganda if not a material value for Germany and Italy, but its utility to Japan is extremely doubtful, and commentators hero find it difficult to resist the conclusion that Japan has been hurried into an arrangement which can bring her only embarrassment of the undertakings she will have to carry on alone. It is noted that Article 3 of the agreement provides that Germany, Italy, and Japan agree to collaborate on all questions and aid each other by all economic and military means if one of the three signatories is attacked by a nation not taking part in war—a provision designed presumably to intimidate the United States, as it is difficult to suggest - y other Power to which it could possibly refer. There is a natural inclination on the part of the Press to read this article in relation to recent moves at Washington, and notably last night’s announcement that an embargo had been placed from October 15 on the export of iron and steel scrap to all nations save those of the Western Hemipshere and Britain. This announcement was accompanied by the news that the United States Metal Reserve Company had agreed to buy £7,500,000 worth of tungsten from China and that the Export Bank, another official institution, is to lend China £6,250,000. Washington messages add that President Roosevei- is deeply preoccupied with the Far Eastern problem.