FISCIST ENTENTE MOVEMENT SEEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 274, 18 November 1936, Page 7

FISCIST ENTENTE MOVEMENT SEEN.

THREE-POWER PACT. Japan, Germany and Italy Against Russia. BRITAIN WILL HOLD ALOOF. United Press Association. —Copyright. (Received 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, November 17. "Tlie Times" Shanghai correspondent states that advices from Tokyo refer to the adherence of Italy to the Japanese and German anti-Com-munist agreement, and state that Italy under it will recognise Manchukuo in return for Japan recognising Abyssinia. This would involve an Italian break with Geneva, but Signor Mussolini is prepared to give the League the alternative of losing Italy or recognising realities regarding Mancliukuo and Abyssinia. The agreement is a combination of a pronouncement against Communism and a trade agreement based upon the principle of barter, which will provide for an exchange of raw materials from Mancliukuo in return for German manufactures and soya beans in return for arms and munitions.

It is believed that what the Japanese Army principally wants is an exchange of information whereby it can share Germany's technical skill and new inventions.

The correspondent of "The Times" stated previously that according to advices from Tokyo the reported antiCommunist agreement between Japan and Germany is less than a formal alliance, but more than a mere declaration against Communism. The following forecast shows the purely defensive character of the agreement.

The purpose of the agreement, it is emphasised, is to unite anti-Communist Powers against the spread of Russian influences. Probably it will provide for technical collaboration between the German and Japanese armies, also for German assistance toward Japanese rearmament. The agreement is not directed against China. On the contrary, Japan's policy is to secure China's adherence to it. Italy, it is added, probably will adhere to the agreement, either directly or through agreement with Germany. The Japanese, it is said, originally hoped to include Britain in an antiSoviet front, but Britain refused to join in any project for dividing the world into Fascist and Communist blocs. A later message from Tokyo states that the munition and armament shares are rising owing to the Russo-German tension following the espionage arrests.