Policy & Rice Gruel

"There will be no war while I am in office," cocky Japanese Foreign Minister Koki Hirota recently told the Diet.

Last week Japan's impotent pacifist politicos timidly tried to use this as an opening against the dominant minority of Japanese jingoes. Asked Toshio Shimada, a Seiyukai (majority party) leader: "How does the Government reconcile the declaration of the Foreign Minister that there will be no war while he is in office with our present invasion of Inner Mongolia?"

Contemptuously the Foreign Minister deigned no reply. His pacifist declaration had been made for foreign consumption, had nothing to do with the steady onrush of Japan's war machine which was crashing Inner and Outer Mongolia last week. Greatest glory of the week went to a Japanese Col. Wada, who captured a Lamaist temple on the Outer Mongolian border.

Day after day in the Diet both lean, rheumatic War Minister General Senjuro Hayashi and burly, big-fisted Navy Minister Mineo Osumi hammered away at the thesis that no matter what happens, no matter how remote the danger of war, Japanese Deputies must vote nearly half of the Empire's revenue to the fighting services, now and for an indefinite period hereafter. Pounding with his small fist, War Minister Hayashi cried: "The Army has no intention of stopping now in Manchukuo!" Pounding with his large fist, Navy Minister Osumi boomed: "We have no intention of embarking on a naval race, but if negotiations fail we have a policy! . . The whole Japanese nation must make up its mind to cope with the situation, even if we are reduced to eating rice gruel."

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