JAPAN'S NEW EMPIRE
SIR,—In his letter published in The Spectator of May zt st, Dr. Einzig scolds me for having ventured to accuse his Japanese New Order in Asia of not laying enough emphasis on Japan's shipping difficulties. Dr. Einzig then quotes a number of extracts from his own pages to prove that he had not in fact omitted reference to this aspect of the Far. Eastern war.
But I never said he had. The word " emphasis " relates here not to the presence, but to the use of facts—the dominant impression left by a book on the reader's mind. And for all 'its virtues, Dr. Einzig's book does not'leave with this reader the impression that our ability to defeat Japan will largely depend upon the speed with which we can wreck her merchant marine. If Dr. Einzig's book leaves 'any general impression, it is one of admiration for his knowledge of Central European economy.
In stressing Japan's shipping difficulties I was not endeavouring, as Dr. Einzig suggests, to paint an optimistic picture of the Pacific war. Far from it. Japan's lack of shipping is an ephemeral weakness which should spur us on to further efforts=now—not give us cause for com- placency, nor for the theory that Japan can comfortably be dealt with after the defeat of Germany. As for the question whether japan is Germany's lackey, surely it is as dangerous to mislead the British people as it is to flatter the Japanese? I can hardly assume that Dr. Einzig's book is addressed to the enemy.—I am, Sir, yours faithfully, SIMON HARCOURT-SMITH.
Previous page
