SINGAPORE SCENES

Grey River Argus, 8 September 1945, Page 5

SINGAPORE SCENES

Exit of Japanese

(Rec. 8.10) SINGAPORE, Sept. 6 Japanese have retreated from Singapore Island across the Johore Causeway. They showed reluctance to disarm to their own military guard under the surrender terms. They insisted that Japanese commodities, stores, and civil administration were needed for protection. Looting has been prevalent in the areas of heavily populated Chinese. The Allied authorites have warned that it will be punished with death. The Allies announced that the Japanese garrisons in Singapore totalled' thousand, including 85 Generals, and an undetermined number of Admirals.

The British have ordered the Jap■anese to aump their arms by ten a.m., Friday- at the Causeway, and to evacuate south Johore by six pm. on Friday. The Japanese civil administration is permitted to remain, as the British Commander recognises there is danger to the Japanese in withdrawing to hostile areas fined with vengeful Chinese and Malayan guerrillas. He said the enemy would be alowed to keep ten rifles for each one hundred soldiers. The Japanese quibbled at this for some time, alternatively showing flashes of arrogance and of submission. Once thev said they had no reason to accept, but the argument terminated with a weighted suggestion that they carry out the surrender as directed. •The Japanese claimed they owned stores where Chinese traditionally had monopilised the retail trade. They- also said that the currency deposited at the Post Office was JapanCSC. A broad highway leading to the Causeway presented a strange sight with Japanese and Indian convoys interspersed. Most of the Japanese were on foot. Many were pulling carts. Prisoners watched the motley Japanese procession silently, but burst into cheers when Liberators came in trucks. Japanese surrendering at Singapore included 85 Generals, an unknown number of Admirals, and 85.000 troops. .Allied military authorities established the death penalty for looting after a number of incidents that were suppressed by the Japanese. Allied military police are searching all Japanese trucks and baggage for loot before leaving the island. The occupation of Singapore means orders valued at least live million sterling for British firms. The Colonial Office has already- offered three million worth. The chief engineer of Singapore municipality stated that he had placed a million sterling order for water supply macinery. There are also plans m London to supply prefabricated houses. PEACEFUL OCCUPATION OF SINGAPORE NATIVE PEOPLE GO LOOTING (Rec. 6.30) SINGAPORE, Sept. 5 A great fleet of British ships, the first to call here in three year, steamed into Singapore harbour on Wednesday. They found the city apparently little damaged, the population quiet, and the Japanese abiding punctiliously by conditions laid down. The Japanese appear to have their troops well under command. A drive through the city was made between packed lines of Chinese and Malays cheering wildly any European. No public transport was in the streets. Chinese, who were anxious to express great delight on the return of the British, made their cars freely available. An incongruous sight is large formations of Japanese Navy and Army men, many of them armed, waiting patiently to be told where to go, or marching resignedly along. There were no incidents at all when an Indian Division including British troops came ashore on Wednesday morning. Not a shot was fired. The Japanese were ready with plans for handing over the city. Some small disturbances have occurred among the civilan population mainly over the looting of Chinese shops. This kind of looting is not prevalent, but looting of warehouses and wharf stores went on steadily in a most orderly fashion. On the first dav when we still were reconnoitring the twon and expanding our hold, no troops were available to deal with this sort of civilian misdemeanour. A day for a formal signing of the surrender of Japanese armies In south-east Asia is not yet fixed, but military and civil authorities are moving steadily about the job of restoring the city, whose peiple obviously have suffered much during the invasion. Great priority is being given to succouring prisoners of ar and internees, among whom 'are many New Zealanders. Hospital ships and food ships arrived with convoysThese ships are specially earmarxed to take internees home at the earliest possible moment. An Australian Associated Press correspondent said: Occupation of Singapore Island is being completed without fuss. Japanese except tnose on guard duty are quietly retiring, moving hand carts and lorries piled high with belongings in the direction of the mainland. It is an uncanny feeling to pass squad's of armed Japanese who either stare straight ahead or respectfully salute. The excitment of Chinese at the return of British forces is still the most striking feature. Freed from persecutions ,their pent up feelings find expression in wild cheering, wherever British appeal- in the streets. RUSSIANS KILL JAPS “MOSCOW, Sept. 6 Red Army troops killed 70 Japanese and took prisoners in a pitcncd battle with a group which attacked a Russian armoured train 27 miles north-west of Vladivostok. Small bands of Japanese are still roaming the Manchurian hills, attacking the Russian lines of communication.

Japan’s War Decision 1941 ENVOY’S VERSION. TOKIO, Sept, u Kurusu told correspondets that he knew nothing about the Pearl .Harbour attack before leaving Tokio for the Washington negotiations. “Tojo was more optimistic than I about the chances of peace. I told him I thought things were pretty precarious in the Pacific ,and I told Mr. Roosevelt the same thing. Admiral Nomuru was also ignorant of the Pearl Harbour plans.” Asekd if he and Nomaru were not used by Tokio to present a per.ce front, Kurusu said Tojo wanted peace, but, of course, the Japanese Government had many plans to cover many possibilities, just as the American Government had. Japan decided to put the Pearl Harbour plan into effect, but could probaoly have called it off had he been successful in maintaining peace. “I worked hard for peace. It hurts me being called a treacherous, double-crosser by the Americans'. I have lost everything—my reputation, my home and my son who-was shot down over Tokio. Let nobody think I like war.” He added that he had not spoken to Tojo since he was repatriated. Kurusu is now spending his time in retirement a short distance from Tokio, chopping wood and reacting English nineteenth century history in French. WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 The Senate voted unanimously for

a joint Congressional inquiry into Pearl Harbour. The Democratic leader, eSnator Barkley, introducing the resolution said it had President Truman’s full approval. The investigation should be so complete anu so fair that no person could doubt the good faith of the finding. It should not be conducted to aid or damage any political party, or bedaub tne escutcheon of any innocent man. It should' not be conducted with the purpose of gratifying misanthropic hatreds of any person towards any present or past public servant, high or low, living or dead. The Associated Press comments that most listeners thought Mr. Barkley was referring to critics who sought to blame Mr. Roosevelt for the disaster. The resolution now goes to the House, where Speaxer Rayburn promised speedy consideration. LONDON. Sept, b The time has come to hold a lull inquiry into the fall of Malaya and “impregnable” Singapore and publish the results, as America has none in the case of Pearl Harbour, says a “Daily Mail” editorial. Such investigation was always refused on tne ground there was insufficient evidence. Sir S. Cripps in 1942 said it was something a future Government might tackle. That future has become the present. Those who took the principal parts in the tragic drama are now able to sneak freely. (Rec. 10.45) TOKIO, Sept. 6 The Domei News Agency, in a broadcast, said: “At least three new political parties will soon appear in Japan. One will be organised by members of the Totalitarian Political Association of Great Japan, which is expected to disband next week. A Japan Liberty Flirty will be launched about the middle of September. A third party will probably be called the Japan Social ’ Party, embracing proletarian leaders. Other parties may arise from the East Asia Federation and the nation’s economic leaders.

Kagawa, the Japanese Christian leader, who is reported to b e one of Prime Minister Kuni’s five civilian politcal advisers, in an interview, said that Japanese labour unions have begun organising. He predicted that the workers’ struggles against industrialists for better living conditions would be one of the greatest underlying difficulties in reconstruction. He added: Trere are still 300,000 Protestants and 200,1)00 Catholics in Japan. He resigned as a Christian minister in 1940 because of police pressure. Japanese suicide bombing attacks against American shipping slackened during the closing stages of the war because of Japan’s inability to procure volunteers, according to an •American educated seaplane pilot, Hagime Onishi. who. greeted American Marines at a landing seaplane base. It became necessary, he said, todraftmen. Boys of whom only a small percentage had passed the final tests, due to the danger involved intraining. Practice flights were made with dummy bombs, but the planes could not land under 150 miles an hour, with the result that scores of draftees were killed.