The Dutch agrees to initiate talks with the moderate nationalists, to pay a higher political price for order in their Empire. Indonesian nationalism had come to stay.

In the country house of Britain’s Prime Minister the generation of empire menders was at work. The worried ghosts of the empire builders—among them. Raffles of Singapore and Coen of Batavia—looked on. The great Far Eastern domain they had helped create was badly cracked, in danger of breakdown…

Southeast Asia’s contagion of nationalism plagued the Dutch last week. Riots broke out on Java. Soekarno, long-winded nationalist, blandly deplored the outbreaks.

Southeast Asia’s contagion of nationalism plagued the Dutch last week.

The rich tin mines and oil pools of The Netherlands East Indies had been prize loot for the Japanese. Dropping all such stolen property last month, the Japs took time to throw a sharp tack in the path of the…