IS SOVIET-JAP PACT TREATY VIOLATION?

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 88, 15 April 1941, Page 7

IS SOVIET-JAP PACT TREATY VIOLATION?

PLEDGE TO CHINESE. Moscow Promise Not To Aid An Aggressor. I iii •«i Tr---. A sc&t»c!;itinn — <*••!•> ri^bt. , Ihv, 1. lit.rio A.IK.) IX)XDON. April 14. j 1 In- l hinese Foreign Office at Jt bunking i- studying the neutrality j i ry.-i:y ,-igned by Japan and Russia. | with a view to determining whether jit. violates the non-aggres-ion paet : bet ween t liina and the Soviet. | Article 11. ot ihe treatv >avs: — j"Al<i> retrain from any action or jentering into any agreement which i may be u-ed by ail aggressor to the i disadvantage ««f the party subjected to ag;_rrr---ion."

Inioiiue.i p..lit ieia us at Chungking ie\ealed t li:i t -imilltaneoiislv with the c<>in lu-ion <>i tlie Ku-^-o-Japanese pact, Mn-i-ow n.id a--ure<l the Chinese Government thai nil fundamental policy of nil i" l liin.i \\a- i .it affected.

V-iiiil.uv I'l'-oni'ii at Chungking arc ■•[ opinion that the pact vvill cn.i!»]*■ • lapan i.i withdraw from Manchuria at l)w most i.iur of t h<- nine divisions <rari i«riiicil t hero. It i- i.i tli.it guerilla lii-hteis v. iii make lurthvi u ithdrawals from N<o tii t hina an! liin«-r Mongolia

inadv i-.iiilr

According to a from Tokyo, 1 lie Japanese Prime Minister. Prince Kop.nye. stated: ".lapan signed the Tripartite Pact lo prevent the spread of the war throughout the world, hut the fulfilment of linger .Japanese pur]>oses required a fundamental adjustment of Kusso-.Tapane-e relation®. 1 believe this pact will preatly contribute to the promotion of world peace. It will also serve as a basis for a rapid and concrete solution of various questions pending between l\u-sia and Japan."

Prelude To Settling War With China?

1: is believed in Tokyo that -Japan's ne.\t step will be to make strong efforts to settle the war in China through Soviet mediation. The fifth year of the war begins in July, and it is expected that .lapan will request the Soviet to press Marshal Chiang Kai-shek to amalgamate with Wang Ching-wei. head of the puppet regime. under liberal terms.

The Domei (Japanese) news agency, commenting on the pact, says: "It guarantees Japan's northern back door in the event of her being involved in war in the Pacific."'

The "Nichi Xichi Shimbun" says: "In substance, the Pact bears the character of non-aggression."

The evening edition of the "Xichi Xichi," continuing its comment on the treaty, says: "The treaty offers a new turning point for the disposal of the China affair, because it is only proper that the neutrality provision will be applied and will eliminate Soviet assistance to Chungking."'

The newspaper further asserts tliat tlie treaty eliminates Japan's dual strategy versus tlie United States and Russia, wliich had been Japan's biggest misgiving in connection with the socalled Pacific crisis, and will thereby I»ermit Japan to concentrate on her southward programme. This feature, therefore, constitutes the most important meaning of the treaty. The paper also contends that the treaty completely shuts out an approach by the United States toward the Soviet.

The "Asahi Shimbun*' saw-: ''.Tapau and the Soviet have revealed their policy toward tlio maintenance of peace jn the I'ar East."