NAZI DUPLICITY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 168, 18 July 1941, Page 7

NAZI DUPLICITY

JAPAN DECEIVED?

Plan To Attack Russia Was Not Revealed British OffiHn' n Rec. 11 a.m. ;i GBY, July K. Before tho i cognation of the Cabinet. news reaching ? suggested ihat some militarv ™? e , by Japanese ioroes was under rp!-fxaw at 10 1" has been a rei i\ aJ from many sources of reports ®,"^ ln , all >' coming from Slianebai If?- u J? ofh'na is one of Japan's piobable objectives. At the beginning of the month the British Ambassa1° T K - Vo \ Sir Robert Craieie specifically raised the question of these reports with the Japanese i>o\ crnmeni and received a categorical assurance that thev were inaccurate.

The possibility that dc-mands on v icny for the cession of bases in French Indo-China were likelv to be " 1a 5.~, in l, ? c n ear luiure. is discussed in "The Times" to-day. which cites a i.SrPi 1 J°. . l £ f , effect tl.ai demands \\ill be laid before the Yichv Cabinet w ltnm the next few davs. ' Amons the factors pointing in the direction of the \ igorous Japanese policv are «ne facts that Kobe has been closed for the past ten days, the caliine up of reservists, reports of troop movemenus and so 011.

Unii l the names of the members - l ' lc PJ-' V \ Cabinet are announced hp mere speculation to """hat action is likelv to V °"V he Cabinet resignation i no official Toxyo explanation is that ii was undertaken in order "to make room for a stronger Government to cope with the national and international situation.' The natural implication to be taken from such an explanation is that a more and not a less, active policy will be adopted towards the international situation.

One of the main difficulties which must have faccd the Japanese Government in the formulation of its foreign policy has been Germany's volte face in her relations with Russia, Japan's most powerful neighbour. After officially adhering to the Axis. Japan was persuaded to follow the example of Germany and sign a pact of neutrality with Russia in spite of the inconsistency of such a pact with the anti-Comintern commitments of the Axis agreement.

Nevertheless. Japan signed such a pact with Russia. Hardly was this done before Germany, without notifying the Japanese, launched a fuilscale attack on Russia. Thus Japan, who can no longer place reliance on the good faith of Nazi Germany, has been left in an embarrassing position.