SWOOP ON DUTCH EAST INDIES

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 175, 19 April 1940, Page 10

SWOOP ON DUTCH EAST INDIES

Factors Held To Affect Possible Japanese Action AMBITION TO CONTROL SOURCES OF RAW MATERIALS (By Telegraph —Press Association Copyiight.) Received April 18,11.10 p.m. NEW V ORK, April 18. The Shanghai correspondent of the Associated Press of America savs reports of Allied naval officers state that a num her of factors favour the likelihood of a Japanese swoop on the Dutch East Indies, coinciding with a German invasion ol the Netherlands, chief of them being Japan's unconcealed ambition to control the oil, rubber and tin in tlic Indies. ... ii„„i The officials added that if the Dutch East Indies were giabbcd. Japan’s dreams of dominating the western Pacific and ousting the "European colonial Powers would be on the way toward realization The Japanese navy is cocky and full of fight, says the correspondent.and it believes it could subjugate the Indies beiore England and France got into action. It feels that it the American public was presented with a fail accompli, the United States would not Japanese political agents are conducting an anti-Dutch campaign among the natives, thousands of whom belong to pro-Japanesc panAsiatic societies.