COMPLAINT BY COSTA RICA

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25678, 15 December 1948, Page 5

COMPLAINT BY COSTA RICA

Decision of American States Awaited BORDER SKIRMISH WITH INVADERS (Rec. 8 p.m.) SAN JOSE (Costa Rica), Dec. 13. The Government of Costa Rica Has innounced it will hold off its counterattack against the invaders from Nicaragua until the Organisation of American States has decided whether to intervene. Costa Rica has appealed to the organisation for protection against aggression under the terms of the Western Hemisphere Defence Pact and has threatened to denounce the pact if no effective action is taken. The Costa Rican Foreign Minister (Mr Benjamin Odio) to-day sent a message to the president of the council of the Organisation of American States (Mr Enrique Corominas) calling for “drastic measures, effective and immediate.” by the countries which have ratified the pact. Costa Rican forces engaged members of an invading rebel group today in a minor skirmish near the Nicaraguan border. The military command in San Jose received a report that four rebels were killed and an undetermined number captured. These were the first casualty figures reported. The Costa Rican Government rushed the mobilisation of its recentlydisbanded army to-day to repel the invasion force, said to have increased to 1500 troops from Nicaragua. The invaders have driven 30 miles into the country towards San Jose. Reports from the front said that the invaders were wearing shoulder patches identifying them as “Costa Rican Constitutional Commandos.”

JAPANESE MINISTER RESIGNS

“IMPROPER ADVANCES'” TO WOMAN M.P. (N.Z.P.A.—Reuter —Copyright) (Rec. 7 p.m.) TOKYO. December 13. The Japanese Diet was thrown into tn uproar to-night when Mrs Haruye Yamashita. aged 47. a member of the Democratic Party, declared that the Minister of Finance (Mr Sanroku Izumiyama) had made “improper advances” to her at a cocktail party earlier in the evening. Mr Izumiyama later submitted his resignation to the Prime Minister (Mr Yoshida), who accepted it. Mr Izumiyama admitted that he had been drunk at the party. Mrs Yamashita said: “I was a direct victim of Mr Izumiyama. He embraced me and said: ‘I love you.’ I told him he had more important business to attend to, upon which he teplied: ‘You come before business.’ ” Mrs Yamashita’s charge was preceded by a question from another Vroman representative who asked the speaker of the House if he knew where Mr Izumiyama was. The Prime Minister told the House: I am sorry the Minister of Finance « not here, but I wall investigate.” The Speaker adjourned the House to restore quiet after the uproar following Mrs Yamashita’s charges. Later a Japanese reporter said that Mr Izumiyama was asleeo in his room. CANADIAN MURDERED BY TERRORISTS HEAD OF ORPHANAGE ~IN MALAYA ®ec. 8 p.m.) SINGAPORE, Dec. 14. Mr A. M. Blake, the Canadian head°f a boys’ orphanage at Seren--20 miles north of Kuala Lumpur, was murdered last night by Chinese ‘yfonsts. Police after heavy firing to the school and found the V 7™ aster ' s bungalow on fire. Later found alte * S charred remains were Korea applies for u.n. membership ®«- ’ P.m.) PARIS, Dec. 13. mo u Republic of Korea applied for of the United Nations toThe Republic controls the south- .*« half of Korea, and claims authory over the whole country. Sugar Crop Worth £20,000,000. ’Weensland’s 1948 sugar crop, which is jumated at 882.000 tons, will be over £20,000,000. This is above last year’s record. — °nsbane. December 14.