Jap. Talks Forecast: U.S. Presents Programme As Basis For Settlement

Northern Advocate, 21 November 1941, Page 6

Jap. Talks Forecast: U.S. Presents Programme As Basis For Settlement

NEW YORK, November 20. IT IS RELIABLY REPORTED, SAYS THE WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT OF THE “NEW YORK HERALDTRIBUNE,” THAT THE SECRETARY FOR STATE (MR. CORDELL HULL) PRESENTED THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMME TO THE JAPANESE ENVOY (MR. KURUSU), AS THE BASIS FOR A GENERAL SETTLEMENT OF PACIFIC PROBLEMS: (1) Japan to leave the Axis. (2) Japan to renounce further aggression. (3) Japan to withdraw her army from China and IndoChina. (4) Japan to permit equal trading rights for all nations in the Pacific. Mr. Kurusu is still awaiting instructions from Tokio.

Empire Keeps in Touch < There was no formal meeting between Mr Hull and Mr Kurusu yesterday, although there was a brief informal meeting last night. The British Minister (Sir Ronald Campbell) called on Mr Hull last night. Both the Australian and the Netherlands East Indies Ministers in Washington were received last night by the State Department. The most recent statements in the Japanese Diet by the Prime Minister (General T'ojo) and the Foreign Minister (Mr Togo) suggest that Japan has modified her East Asian programme, says the Tokio correspondent of the “New York Times” (Mr Otto Tolischus). “Modifies Yellow Peril” Mr Togo declared that the Government did not harbour territorial designs against nations in the Far East, and General T'ojo significantly said that it would be going too far to say that Japan’s co-prosperity programme aimed at the immediate liberation of oppressed races. General Tojo’s statement, says Mr Tolischus, was tantamount to repudiation of the extremists’ demands that Japan should liberate East Asia from the white man and evict the foreign barbarians. More Conciliatory Japanese newspapers today adopted a more conciliatory attitude towards the United States, but the “Japan Times-Advertiser” referred to the arrival of Canadian troops at Hongkong as one more instance of unwarranted provocation in the Far East. The defence of Hongkong was impracticable in such an isolated position, added “The Times-Advertiser.” It was not made any more definite by the arrival of further battalions. A better move all round would be the withdrawal of the British forces and greater trust in Japan’s assertions that her aims in the Pacific were peaceful co-operation. Banned Speech The T'okio correspondent of the Associated Press says publication of a speech made in the Diet by a member, Mr Miyazawa, was banned today. This created a sensation. No hint of the nature of the speech was permitted to reach the public, but it was declared to be “improper for this session.” Mr Miyazawa resigned following his appearance before the disciplinary committee of the House. It is believed that 19 members have resigned from the Throne Rule Assistance Group in sympathy. The Japanese newspaper, “Yomiuri,” explains today that, while the resolution passed by the Diet this week seemed somewhat violently worded, it was not necessarily vio-j lent. !

The chief of the Department of Military Affairs (Major-General Sato) expressed the opinion that the revision of the anti-air raid regulations as suggested by the Government would make it impossible for a single enemy plane to reach Japanese territory. Britain Holds Aloof The diplomatic correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph’’ says Britain is content to leave the discussions between America and Japan in America’s hands. Japan has done her utmost to persuade Britain that she is so deeply involved that British diplomats should take part in the discussions, but London thinks there is much wisdom in the adage that too many sooks spoil the broth.

Britain will be four-square behind America whatever the decision.

Unrest Among Troops A Chinese army spokesman at Chunking asserted that intelligence reports disclose growing disaffection among Japanese troops in China. He predicted that a general uprising was certain if the war continues. Addressing the Lower House committees in Tokio, Major-General Kenryo Sato expressed the opinion that Japan’s next war, if it occurred, would be aimed at breaking antiJapanese encirclement and would be an unprecedentedly large-scale battle. It was therefore urgently necessary for the Japanese people to promote the fighting spirit. He issued a warning that it would be impossible completely to shut out enemy planes which would undoubtedly bomb Japanese wooden cities in an effort to break the people's morale. It was necessary that Japan should have composure irrespective of eventualities. Indo-China Denial The Government at Hanoi has officially denied reports from Shanghai that Japan demanded facilities for 50.000 more trcops in Indo-China. Such a demand would exceed the FrancoJapanese agreement, hence the matter would have to be taken up between Vichy and Tokio. The Prime Minister (General Tojo) explained to an Upper House committee that a large amount of reserve funds was being kept because Japan was confronted with an unprecedented crisis. She literally stood at the cross roads and must rise or fall.