AUSTRALIA OBJECTS TO SURRENDER TERMS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 191, 14 August 1945, Page 5

AUSTRALIA OBJECTS TO SURRENDER TERMS

SOFT PEACE OPPOSED Emperor No Different From Hitler N.Z. Press Association— Copyright Rec. 1.30 p.m. SYDNEY, this day. Dr. Evatt's statement that Japan's surrender offer was entirely unacceptable to the Australian Government, is the official view of the Government. Senior Ministers to-day *were reluctant to amplify Dr. Evatt's statement, but said that Ausralia had made its attitude clear in communication with the big Powers in the past five or six days. Australians' objections to any form of protection for Hirohito are: As a war criminal the Japanese Emperor is in no different position from Hitler, who, if he had been caught, would have had to stand his trial. Unless the myth of the Deity of the Emperor is exploded, 80,000,000 Japanese fanatics are likely to rally round their godhead and stage another Pearl Harbour, this time perhaps with atomic rocket bombs. Any suggestion of a soft peace will encourage the Japanese militarists to indoctrinate their people with the belief that Japan never lost the war and that Japanese youth has a sacred duty to prove that Japan was victorious. Australia can never forget the unspeakable atrocities perpetrated by the Japanese on Australian soldiers at the behest of their leaders, including the Emperor. In placing its views before the rest of the world, the Commonwealth Government is relying on the advice of its experts on Oriental affairs, who have made a close examination of the peculiar Japanese ways of life and psychology. To support its case Australia is likely to press for the immediate publication of a report by Mr. Justice Webb, of Queensland, to the War Crimes Commission on Japanese atrocities in the Pacific islands campaign.