Mediation: It's Wonderful

The war between Thailand and French Indo-China ended last week. The victor was Japan. Nobody had asked Japan to mediate the quarrel, which had gone on intermittently in the swampy jungles along the Mekong River since October, but fortnight ago Tokyo offered its services. When the offer was not immediately accepted, Japan became insistent, threatening. Nipponese warlords insisted that, as "the most stabilizing power in the Far East," Japan alone had the right to settle Oriental differences. Under duress Vichy, then Thailand, accepted.

Last week the stage was set for mediation, Nipponese style. The Japanese cruiser Natori steamed into Saigon harbor. Off the southeast Indo-Chinese coast appeared two Japanese aircraft carriers, two cruisers and two torpedo boats. Planes from the carriers cruised low over the city. At an appointed hour six French and six Thai delegates were taken aboard the Natori, where seven white-uniformed Japanese officers headed by Chief of the Japanese Military Mission in Indo-China Major General Raishiro Sumita received them with bows and toothy smiles.

Tea was served; then the delegates prepared to mediate. Before either Thailand or Indo-China could present a claim or grievance, Japan handed both a bill for her services as mediator -- to be paid in advance. She demanded: a virtual monopoly over Indo-China's production of rice, rubber and coal; a free hand to exploit Indo-China's natural resources; military garrisons along the Chinese frontier; Japanese inspectors at all Indo-Chinese customs houses ; a naval base at strategic Camranh Bay and defense concessions at Saigon; air bases throughout Indo-China. From Thailand she demanded a naval base in the Gulf of Siam for a fleet of 15 battleships, cruisers and auxiliary craft. Unless the terms were accepted on the spot, it was intimated, naval units would go into action and invasion of both countries would follow. The delegates signed.

Smiles returned to Japanese faces, tea cups were refilled and an armistice creating a twelve-mile buffer zone between the Indo-Chinese and Thai forces was quickly arranged. Peace talks were postponed for a later meeting in Tokyo, when claims would be settled and peaceful collaboration in the New Asiatic Order discussed.

The bows were deeper and smiles toothier as Japan's mediators sent the delegates ashore.

Asked last week in Washington whether accepting Japanese mediation was not equivalent to letting a fox arbitrate between two rabbits in a cabbage patch, Thai Minister Mom Rajawongse Seni Pramoj replied: "What would you do if you were a rabbit?"

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