DUTCH SNUB TO U.N. ON ACTION IN INDONESIA

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22825, 21 December 1948, Page 7

DUTCH SNUB TO U.N. ON ACTION IN INDONESIA

News Blackout On Moves Of Netherland Troops

(N.Z.P.A. —Reuter—Copyright.) (I I a.m.) BATAVIA, Dec. 20. While the Dutch "police action" continues in Indonesia, the Dutch Government in a memorandum to the Security Council today said that international intervention could be of no further use in the conflict. The Dutch Government had empowered its High Commissioner to take any steps necessary to establish

security.

Reuter’s correspondent in Batavia says the latest Dutch censorship restriction prohibiting the press from cabling any operational news except that contained in official cohiniuniques is unlikely to be violated since, with the Jogjakarta radio silent, Dutch official sources are virtually the only sources of information for events in the interior of Java and Sumatra. Nevertheless the Dutch Army headquarters is being most reticent with operational news and tonight’s 44-word communique briefly mentions three points reached by the advancing Dutch ground forces on widely separated fronts in Java and Sumatra. Landing by Dutch Marines The announcement that Dutch Marines, who landed at Toeban on the north coast of Java yesterday, have reached the outskirts of Tjepoe which is an important oil centre, is possibly the most significant point of the available information. Boekittinggi, in West Sumatra, from which some Republican broadcasts have been heard since the Dutch offensive began, seems to be the objective of the Dutch forces from Padang who, according to the communique have

reached a point 70 miles south of Boekittinggi. In East Java, Dutch troops have reached Toeren 24 miles south-east oi Malang. The Dutch offensive against the Republic has so far cost the Dutch forces six killed and eight wounded, according to the latest Dutch Army communique. The Republican Army commander, General Soedirman, was captured at Jogjakarta. The communique also reports the capture of Poeworedjo about 40 miles west of Jogjakarta. Town Bombed Twice by Dutch No signals were received today from Boekittinggi radio. The last dispatch last night said that the town was twice bombed by Dutch planes. A London message says that Holland gave Britain formal notice on Saturday that police action would be taken against the Indonesian Republic. The Foreign Office spokesman said that a copy of the unanimous decision of the Netherlands Cabinet was enclosed in the Note. The Foreign Office had not yet replied to the Note. The spokesman adds that it was “a matter o'f lively regret that British efforts to reconcile the parties had broken down.” In Washington today Dr. Soemitro, .the Indonesian Minister to Washington, appealed to the United States for political and economic support of the Indonesian Republic. U.S. Asked to Stop Aid to Dutch Dr. Soemitro, in a conference with the Under-Secretary of State, Mr. Robert Lovett, also asked that the United States seriously consider cutting off Marshall Plan aid to the Netherlands. Dr. Soemitro, addressing journalists, declared that the Indonesian Government would continue strong resistance to the Dutch even though its top leaders had been captured. He said that a new Indonesian Government would function from Boekittinggi,' and added: “If that is captured the Government will move elsewhere. As long as we have territory under our control, we will have our Government there. As a last resort we will establish a Government in exile.”