Southward Ho?

One day last week, in the midst of feverish preparations for war, the Cabinet of Premier Prince Fumimaro Konoye suddenly resigned. "Filled with trepidation" (according to polite formula), Prince Konoye backed out of the presence of Emperor Hirohito with orders to continue the administration of affairs until a successor could be found. While foreign correspondents in Tokyo were trying desperately to puzzle out what this meant, just as suddenly Prince Konoye emerged as his own successor, threw together a new Cabinet. "I am struck with a sense of great awe," observed Prince Konoye with high humor, "because of my poor ability."

When noses were counted it was observed that the new Cabinet contained three fewer noses than the old. Conspicuously missing was the slightly bulbous nose of Yosuke Matsuoka, who as Foreign Minister had promoted the Triple Alliance with Germany and Italy and the Neutrality Pact with Russia. It was evident that one object of the Cabinet change was to squeeze out Mr. Matsuoka.

The elimination of Mr. Matsuoka enabled Japan to pursue a foreign policy more free of the influence of Germany and Russia. .Several of Foreign Minister Matsuoka's pro-Axis appointees, including Axis Stooge Toshio Shiratori, resigned from the Foreign Office. This freedom will be most useful in the case of Russia, since it will allow Japan to worsen relations against the time when she may attack eastern Siberia.

With consummate shrewdness Premier Konoye chose soft-spoken Admiral Teijiro Toyoda to be his new Foreign Minister. Admiral Toyoda was once naval attache in London; he attended the 1927 and 1930 naval conferences and lost popularity in Japan for his part in the signing of the 1930 Naval Treaty. The Japanese describe him as "a gentleman of the British type." His appointment could be expected to arouse British and U.S. hopes of a rapprochement with Japan while Japan prepared for action.

These hopes were further aroused by the appointment as Finance Minister of Masatsune Ogura. onetime head of the House of Sumitomo, by the naming of three other businessmen to Cabinet posts. But the losers in the shuffle were the politicians, not the generals and admirals. Japan's new Cabinet was simply a little more streamlined for Fascism, a little more set for adventure.

From London came the report that Adolf Hitler had called on Japan to attack Russia from the rear. It smelled of propaganda. From French Indo-China came a report that Japan had served up a new set of demands. It was promptly denied.

Nevertheless Admiral Jean Decoux, Governor General of French Indo-China, rushed back to Hanoi from his summer capital near Saigon. An attack on French Indo-China would be a fairly safe bit of summer gardening for Japan: it would not immediately threaten either Britain or the U.S., but would bring Japan closer to The Netherlands East Indies and vital Singapore.

Most engaging comment on Japan's intentions was made by Minister to Australia Tatsuo Kawai, who does not mind being photographed in his pajamas or under the shower. Minister Kawai announced in Adelaide that he was tired of hearing the word "drive" to describe Japan's intentions. Asked whether Japan would move southward as far as Australia, Mr. Kawai said that would depend on the provocation. Asked whether Australia had been provocative, he said there had been a few pinpricks. Asked whether Japan desired territorial expansion toward the Indies, he said territorial expansion was an old-fashioned phrase.

Early this week a fleet of 15 Japanese transports steamed out of the Canton River in South China, headed south.

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