To the Enemy

Many a U.S. citizen, pondering Japan's abject helplessness to defend its own shores (see WORLD BATTLEFRONTS), asked: must they fight it out to the end? In Congress, clamor for a clear definition of U.S. policy toward a defeated Japan would not down.

Under Secretary of State Joseph C. Grew found it time to set the record straight, at least in part. He told of indirect, unofficial Japanese peace feelers. He reminded the U.S. public that the Japanese militarists, like the Nazis before them, hoped to produce a cleavage of U.S. opinion over continuing the war, thus hoped to wriggle out with a defeat that would not mean the end of Japan's ruling military caste.

Time to Prepare. By Joe Grew's estimate, the time to tell Japan the price of peace was not yet. But the time had arrived to prepare to tell the Japanese people what unconditional military surrender will mean. This week such a statement was in preparation by one Administration group. Its present broad outline:

P: Surrender must mean, unconditionally, the end of Jap militarism. But it will not mean enslavement of the people. They will still have the chance to earn their way in a peaceful world, when they have shown that they can be peaceful.

P:The Japanese may have a government of their own choosing but thoroughly purged of militarists and founded on democratic principles.

P:If the Japanese choose to keep the Emperor, the throne must be so remodeled that it can never again become the keystone of a military structure.

P:They may have religious freedom.

Time to Talk. The timing of the statement has not been set. In general, it is considered that it should coincide with a major military blow. Thus Jap militarists could not interpret the statement as a sign of U.S. weakening or war-weariness.

The Administration group hoped that the statement would be made soon. Clearly, the time signal would have to be given by President Truman. His next few weeks of talking Big Three policies (see above) might have much to do with setting the clock.

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