ALLEGED NAZI PLOT

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 95, 22 April 1940, Page 7

ALLEGED NAZI PLOT

EAST INDIES DISPUTE

ALARMIST ARTICLES

MR. ARITA TRAPPED

(By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright.) NEW YORK, April 21. The correspondent "of the "New York Times" at Shanghai, Mr. Hallett Abend, says that sensational reports alleging that the German Ambassador in Tokio, General Ott, deliberately provoked the dispute over the Netherlands East Indies have been sent by British, Dutch, and other officials to their respective \ Governments. The correctness of the allegation cannot be ascertained in Shanghai. It is alleged that General Ott paid 20,000 yen (about £1300) to a chain of Japanese newspapers for publication of a series of alarmist articles claiming that if Herr Hitler invades Holland the Allies will seize the East Indies. The articles deeply stirred the Japanese, and the Foreign Minister^ Mr. Arita, fell into the German trap and issued his declaration on Monday asserting1 Japan's interest in that area. General Ott's motive was allegedly to embroil the United States in a war with Japan. Washington reports that the Japanese Ambassador (Mr. Horinouchi), after an interview with the Secretary for State (Mr. Hull), stated that both Japan and the United States desire to maintain the status quo in the Dutch East Indies. •