“JAPAN FOR JAPANESE”
PACIFIC COUNCIL SLOGAN AID FOR CHINA (Reed. Noon). WASHINGTON, May 20. After to-day’s meeting of the Pacific War Council, the members came away in exceptionally good spirits. The New Zealand Minister, (Mr. Nash) acted as spokesman to the Press. He said that the members adopted the slogan, “Japan for the Japanese.” Asked what this meant, Mr Nash told the Press to make their own interpretation. The reporters then suggested that it meant push the Japanese back into their own islands, and keep them there. Councillors did not comment on this, but Pressmen gained the impression that there was unanimous and earnest agreement on such a desirable objective. . Mr. Nash said that the meeting was the most interesting yet held. They outlined and examined the general picture, which Mr. Nash described as “not bad,” but he said that we have still a long way to go. At this point, Lord Halifax interposed, “We are building up.” Mr. Nash said that Mr. Roosevelt described details of Brigadier Doolittle’s magnificent exploit in bombing Tokio, which was very thrilling. Mr. Nash said: “We will have to think up another of that type.” Dr. Soong said they wished the slogan, “Japan for the Japanese,” disseminated for general circulation and comment, from which a syntheses of ideas could be drawn, and as to where we shall go from there, but Dr. Soong did not explain his parable. Asked about China and the Chinese appeal for help, Dr. Soong replied that personally he had not received any appeals, and did not see any except in the Press, but he said that it does appeal’ that Japan is attacking China from several new points. For instance, firstly, the Chekiang province on the coast; secondly, she is massing men and planes at Hankow, thirdly, frontier fighting in the Yunnan province, where the conflict is at present favourable to China. Dr. Soong said: “It looks as if Japan is going to make a very serious effort to defeat China this Summer”
Asked if this grave threat to China was discussed at the Council, Dr. Soong replied in the negative, but explained the joint General Staff was considering the China situation all the time. Asked if China were satisfied with the help the United States furnished, so far, he replied:'“China will never be satisfied until full victory is won.” Reporters decided frpm the way in which the questions were dodged that Mr. Roosevelt was the author of the slogan “Japan for the Japanese.” EARLY VICTORY PROSPECTS. (Rec. 9.30) WASHINGTON, May 20. Mr. Hull, in a Press interview today, indicated that he saw some grounds to hope victory would come sooner than had previously been expected. Asked whether the developments in recent weeks on the home and foreign fronts encouraged the belief of an earlier victory, Mr. Hull pointed out that the powers and facilities of the United States were developing on a more and more massive scale, not only for offensive-defensive operations, but also for an outright offensive war. It was only natural that calculations as to the duration would be made in the light of those facts. Mr. Hull said the immobilising, of the French warships at Martinique was still going on, but the removal of fuel was completed.
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Greymouth Evening Star, 21 May 1942, Page 5
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542“JAPAN FOR JAPANESE” Greymouth Evening Star, 21 May 1942, Page 5
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