REPLY TO JAPAN

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 109, 1 February 1941, Page 12

REPLY TO JAPAN

Significance Of Monroe Doctrine U.S. NAVY TO STAY IN PACIFIC (By Telegraph—Press assu. —Copyright ) NEW YORK, January 30. The Assistant Secretary of State, Air. Sumner Welles, in a speech said there was no similarity between the Monroe Doctrine and Japan’s new order of economic hegemony in East Asia. “It is grimly humorous to learn that the United States is accused by the official Japanese spokesman of pursuing an aggressive policy in the Far East because she has placed a line of defence in the western Pacific,” he said. “ The United States’ lines of defence are determined solely by the acts and policies of other nations. Ihe Monroe Doctrine is a policy of selfdefence, not aggression.” Mr. Welles said a German victory would be followed by Axis attempts to secure a commercial aud financial stranglehold on Latin America and later by a military invasion. “While there is no satisfactory guarantee of stability and peace in the Pacific, the United States Navy remains based in the Pacific," he added, “control of the Atlantic by a friendly Power being essential to United States security.” SEVERE FIGHTING Big Japanese Offensive In Honan SHANGHAI, January 30. Fierce fighting is raging in southern Honan following the launching of a large scale Japanese offensive with the object, according to Japanese official reports, of trapping and crushing 180,000 Chinese troops concentrated in the area. Chungking admits that severe fighting is taking place, but says that the motives of the attack are still obscure. BAN ON WAR EXPORTS TO JAPAN SOUGHT (Received January 31, 5.10p.m.) WASHINGTON, January 30. In the House of Representatives, Mr. Coffee introduced a Bill to prohibit the export of war materials to Japan. FRONTIER FIGHTING RENEWED Thailand-Indo-China SAIGON, January 30. The armistice negotiations between Thailand and Indo-China opened last evening aboard a Japanese warship, but were adjourned after a brief discussion. A review of the two months' military operations on the frontier reveals that Thai forces have occunied two bits of territory on the right bank of the River Mekong, the cession of which would probably have averted the fighting. The Siamese also penetrated Cambodia in a 25-mile stretch from Surin down to the Gulf of Siam. Approximately 100 were killed and 300 wounded on the Thai side since the outbreak of the fighting, says the communique, which asserts that this was insignificant compared with the French total, which it does not indicate. The Thai High Command announced in Bangkok that Thai forces captured the town of Luang Prabaug. on the right bank of the Mekong River, on January 28. DIFFICULT PROBLEM Realizing U.S. Securities Owned In Britain LONDON, January 30. Sir Edward Peacock, a director of the Bank of England, will shortly go to the United States to deal with the problem of realizing American securities owned by British nationals and also the more difficult problem of realizing investments of businesses in the United States and United States companies controlled by companies in Britain whose shares are not quoted on the Stock Exchange MAGNESIUM SUPPLY U.S. Company Charged With Favouring Germany (Received January 31, 9.15 p.m.) NEW YORK, January 30. A Federal grand jury indicted the Aluminium Company of America with combining with other companies to produce a situation in which Germany received four times as much magnesium j early as the United States. MR. HOPKINS RECEIVED BY THE KING (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, January 30. Mr. Harry Hopkins, President Roosevelt's personal representative, was received by the King at Buckingham Palace and remained to lunch.