PEACE FEELERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 117, 19 May 1945, Page 5

PEACE FEELERS

Reported Made By Japanese Through Russia

NOTHING KNOWN IN LiONDON

Rec. 10.30 a.m. LONDON, May 18. The Press Association's diplomatic correspondent says nothing is known in London of any "peace feelers" as reported to have been made by Japanese industrialists through Russia. The Tokyo radio commentator, Ichiro Baba, said to-day: "By severing all diplomatic ties with Germany, Japan is now on completely friendly terms with the Soviet and is on an all-out fighting basis with Britain and America." He branded talk of Japanese peace negotiations ' as propaganda. A Washington message stated that SrLu d tST«P?talfare Sipping In efforts to And some loophole in the Allied formula of un^nditionaj surrender, says the Associated. diplomatic quarters, emphasising the unofficial natureof these activities, repoited that tne number of individual and private peace feelers has grown considerahlv since the fall of Manila and the fnvasion of Okinawa. The usual technique is for the Japanese to request a neutral to among Americans concerning their real ideas" on peace terms. 1 here is nothing definite about the inqmnes beyond a suggestion that Japan might consider almost an> thing except unconditional surrendei. ' Washington official circlehowever. have not heard anything about specific termo. Mr. R. P. Patterson, Under-Secretary of War, told a Press conference that ne did not b-ue\ l reports that Japan had made an offer of surrender which had been turned down.