OCR Text |
Show Head of Privy Council Named Japan's Premier . " Hi X saasaaHaaAaaa ef tlJ Hirohlto tonight commanded Baron Klichlro Hiranuma, fascist-inclined preaident of tha privy council, to form a new cabinet la succession to that of Prince Fumlmaro Konoye. Hlranuma, outstanding nationalist, national-ist, waa summoned te the palace after the comparatively hoeral Konoye Ko-noye had resigned with the decks-ration decks-ration that the war la China had come to a atage where new policies "under a new cabinet" should be formulated. Strong Demands Ths 14-month-old Konoys cabinet fell before strong militarist-nationalist demanda for reorganisation at home and abroad for renewed efforts ef-forts to fssten Japan's will on Eaat Asia. With the powerful war ministsr. Lieutenant General Seiahiro Itagaki, presiding, high army , leaders were In conference while the emperor considered his choice. Before calling Hiranuma to the palace, the sovereign made the gesture ges-ture of sending Kurahel Yuasa, lord ksepsr of ths privy seal, to consult the last of ths genre (elder statesmen), M-year-old Prince Kin-nwchi Kin-nwchi Saionjl. This has been custom cus-tom for a generation. Tide Toe Strong For nearly a decade Saionjl, a liberal, haa been credited with FUM1MARO KONOYE Quits ander army pressure blocking Hlranuma's aspirations tor the premiership, but this time apparently ap-parently the nationalist tide was too strong. The Konoye cabinet' fall was attributed to powerful pressure, mostly behind the scenes, by elements ele-ments within the army, Inside and outside ths government, and ultra-patriotic ultra-patriotic groups. Among their demands were more rigid control of economic life in Japan, new policies to secure Japan Ja-pan a conquests in China and a single political party, (Parliamentary opposition, usual cause of cabinet changes In European Euro-pean democracies, had almost nothing noth-ing to do with the crisis. The diet is in recess. Japanese cabinet changes are almost never due to setbacks in parkament or general elections.) Feeling was so Intsnse that In some quarters fear was expressed ' for the personal safety of some of the retiring ministers, especially the elderly finance minister, Serain Ikeda. Blockrd Control ' Ikeda angered extremist groups last November when he blocked army demanda for government control con-trol of corporation capital, dividends divi-dends and investments. The baron headed the kokuhonaha (nationalist Japan) party, which recently had been inactive, but which at its Inception advocated support for the army, the emperor and "Nlpponiam, which Includes all the advantagsa of nationalism, fascism fas-cism and communism." Now 73, Baron Hiranuma was ministsr of justice In 1921 and frequently fre-quently before had been mentioned for the premiership. Prince Konoye, 47, professing to liberal views, became premier June 4, 1937, a month before the China war began. " j |