CANBERRA REBUFF

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20602, 1 November 1941, Page 5

CANBERRA REBUFF

NAZIS IN JAPAN

RESIST AGGRESSION AUSTRALIA PREPARED iElec. Tel. Copyright—United Piess Assn.) (Reed. Nov. 1, 9 a.m.) CANBERRA, Oct. 31. The broadcast by the Nazi Admiralty spokesman, Admiral Luetzow, exhorting Japan to invade Australia, was described to-day by the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. J. Curtin, as a desperate attempt by the Nazis to obtain another fighting ally. “We want peace in the Pacific,” added the Prime Minister, “but our determination to resist aggression is unequivocable. “For two years Australia has made it clear that she does not regard herself as immune from the ambitions of the enemy, and she has acted accordingly. We are fully prepared and we are assured we are not acting alone.”

The Attorney-General, Dr. H. V. Evatt, supplementing Mr. Curtin’s statement, said: “The Commonwealth Government has been aware for a long time that Germany is desperately trying to compel Japan to enter the war on the side of the Axis. Large numbers of German agents and propagandists have been installed in Japan, and their motive has been to induce Japan to follow Italy’s example and dab the democracies in the back.” Dr. Evatt said he hoped the Japanese people would not be taken in by such “crude and naive propaganda.”

A message dispatched from London on Wednesday stated that Admiral Leutzow, the German Admiralty spokesman, in a special broadcast to Japan, exhorted Japan to invade Australia. He said: “Australia cannot defend herself against , invasion. Surprise landings can be undertaken at any point on her vast flat coasts. An invader could secure landing by superiority in aircraft from aircraft carriers.

“Australia possesses only a small fleet and air force, and her man-power must be drawn from a population of under 7,000,000. The help which Britain could afford is questionable, because Singapore is thousands of miles away and the British naval forces scattered throughout the world could not concentrate in the Pacific Ocean, which would be necessary if Australia were forced to resist attack by a great naval power.

“Thus the future of Australia emerges as a serious topical problem. Australia has staked her destiny on Britain’s victory. Should Britain be defeated, Australia will be incorporated in the new order in the Pacific.”