AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 137, 6 March 1941, Page 8

AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN

Mr. Menzies’ Speech

SOME QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED

(Received March 5, 11 p.m.) MELBOURNE, March 5.

Members of the Commonwealth War Advisory Council at a meeting tomorrow expect to ask a number of questions about the basis of the speech made in London by the Prime Minister, Mr. Menzies.

Mr. Forde, deputy-Labour leader and a member of the council, said today that he would be interested to learn from Mr. Fadden what caused the conflict of opinion between Mr. Menzies, the War Council, and Cabinet, concerning the Pacific. Mr. Fadden’s recent warning had been given after careful consideration and advice from responsible quarters.

“I would like to know whether Mr. Menzies was advised by the Government of all relevant facts .before making his appeasement speech,” said Mr. Forde. “It seems strange that, the Government leader abroad speaks with one voice and the War Cabinet with another. I believe we should encourage the friendliest relationship between Australia and Qther Powers. We want peace in the Pacific, but we have too much to lose to follow a policy of laissez falre. The experiences of other countries have shown that appeasement can be carried too far. From Sydney it is reported that more than one member of the council finds It hard to understand Mr. Menzies’s apparent deprecation of the significance attached to Japan’s part in the Berlin-Rome-Japan Axis. The full text of Mr. Menzies’s speech is being sought from London. The Japanese Consul-General in Sydney, Mr. Akiyam'a, was highly pleased with Mr. Menzies’s speed), the keynote of which, he said, was a plea for a better understanding and tolerance between Australia and Japan. Mr. Akiyaina added that there was an earnest desire among Japanese business men for a cordial understanding with Australia and a complete restoration of the spirit of friendliness which had hitherto characterized relations between the two countries.

SUBMARINE AMBUSH

Story Of Survivors From

Atlantic

(Received March 6, 12.15 a.in.)

LONDON, March 5,

Fifty survivors of a German submarine ambush somewhere in the Atlantic landed at an east coast Canadian port. Seamen said that at least four submarines attacked two British freighters. One vessel was struck amidships and sank in less than live minutes. A second ship was torpedoed and sunk after two hours. The captains of both ships and 20 of the crews are feared tost. Many survivors were picked up from a third freighter after several hours immersion in the icy Atlantic.