JAP. CO-PROSPERITY PROVES A MOCKERY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 237, 7 October 1942, Page 3

JAP. CO-PROSPERITY PROVES A MOCKERY

PLANS GO AWRY

Ruthless Exploitation Of

Conquered Races

Special Correspondent

United Press Association—Copyright Bee. 1 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 6. Things are wo* king out differently from what the Japanese expected in tne co-pros per itj sphere, comment;? the binancial News. The Japanese intended that, a high degree of economic planning should be directed from Tokyo over the conquered territories. Agriculture would be readjusted and coffee, sugar and rubber replaced by cotton and other textiles. The exportation of mineral resources would be stimulated.

Industrial production would be concentrated in Japan, the principle of the international division of labour would be enforced, the currencies of all Japanese-controlled countries would be based on the yen, various currencies having yen balances in Tokyo and the Bank of Japan would have a central gold reserve to secure the yen. A steady price level would be maintained through extensive price control, and Tokyo would become an international financial centre. Economic Obstacles "Although information from the recently conquered lands is scanty, it, is sufficient to show that in practice matters are developing very differently from the way envisaged in the theory," says the Financial News. "It may be easy to reduce the growing of cane sugar and rubber, but cotton growing cannot be expanded by a stroke of the pen. A gigantic effort is needed to repair the devastations of the scorched earth policy, which put out of action the mines and oilfields. * "It will be sonic time before the Japanese can' replace the American and European engineers formerly employed and also provide the necessary machinery and equipment. Lack of transport facilities prevents Japan from developing the international division of labour. On the contrary, many of the conquered peoples have actually been forced to become more self-sufficient to save shipping space. Siamese Are Restive "Judging by the degree of devaluation forced on certain of the conquered countries, their currencies are likely to be stabilised at an under-valued level resulting in the Japs, deriving considerable advantage at their expense from overvaluation of the yen. It will be no easy matter to build up a big gold reserve, for gold production within the co-prosperity area is limited. If Japan wishes Tokyo to become an international financial centre she is going the wrong way by borrowing from subject races instead c»f lending to them. Altogether, when one goes behind the barrage of words to find the true facts, then all the information received from the conquered countries suggests that the native /populations are being subjected to ruthless exploitation." The Times, commenting on Siam, says there are sigrs that the Siamese are jibbing against co-prosperity. It is apparent that the Japanese are taking much and giving little to their obviously restive and reluctant allies.

MINERS IN ARMY

Few Left To Be Released In Britain AGRICULTURE SQUEEZED British Official Wireless Rec. 1.30 p.m. RUGBY, Oct. 6. When the House of Commons resumed its discussion on the coal position to-day the majority of the speakers urged the Government to recall miners from the forces and industry, taking the view that it was not a question of reducing consumption, but of increasing production in order to bridge the estimated gap of 11,000,000 tons between production and consumption. In winding up the debate, Sir John Anderson said it was quite false to assume there existed to-day a large untapped reserve of miners in the services or in industry, although since 1941 several thousand ex-miners had gone back to the pits. The most that could be released now for the mines, even including those from the field army, was 3000 to 4000. The principle of equal sacrifice would have to apply. Battle casualties would have to be met as they occurred by drawing even upon the reserves of a vital industry, such as the aircraft industry. , . , Sir John Anderson said agriculture had recently relinquished 10.000 men, though the Government had been told it would be impossible.

HINDUS CALL FOR UNITY

Rec. noon. NEW DELHI, Oct. 6. The working committee of the Hindu Mahasabha passed a resolution calling on all Mahasabha organisations and nationalists interested in Indian emancipation to organise a mass campaign for national Government. It is also appealing to all political parties in India to co-oper-ate to force Britain to take the initiative in solving the deadlock.