Japan's Next Move
Japan under General Tojo's Government still refuses to show . her hand, waiting upon events, in a mood as dangerous as ever, but governed by anxiety no less than by ambition. In a speech last week Colonel Knox uttered a word of warning. If, he said, the Japanese intend to pursue their plan for expansion—adding that he was satisfied in his mind that they did—then a collision was inevitable. " The Orient is like a vast powder-keg potentially ready to explode." There are ominous incidents in the news which reflect the state of tension—the arrest and detention with- out explanation or charge of two British subjects in Tokyo, the clash between frontier guards on the Russo-Japanese frontier, the reported preparations in Indo-China for an excursion against the Burma Road, which appear to threaten Thailand territory if not actually that of Burma, and the threat to break off the exploratory talks with the United States if progress is not quickly made. Meantime the United States, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands have been putting their defences in order in the Philippines, Singapore and the Dutch East Indies. America has to consider what action may be taken against American ships if she sends supplies to Vladivostok. Tokyo itself is weighing the prospects of German successes against Russia, and tht likeli- hood of an immediate clash with the United States if she attacks on the Siberian front. Unable to terminate her war with China, Japan is in the position of a gambler preparing to double her stakes in the desperate hope of retrieving her losses,
