REPLY TO JAPAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23879, 1 February 1941, Page 9

REPLY TO JAPAN

DEFENCE IN PACIFIC GERMAN DESIGN FORESEEN ATTACK ON SOUTH AMERICA By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received January .'SI, 0.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, Jan. 30 "There is no similarity between the Monroe Doctrine and Japan's new order of economic hegemony in East Asia," said the Under-Secre-tory of State, Mr. Sumner Welles, in a speech. "It is grimly humorous to learn that the L'nited States is accused by an official Japanese spokesman of pursuing an aggressive, policy in the Far I East because she has placed her line ! of defence in the Western Pacific. "The United States' lines of defence are determined solek- bv the acts and policies of other nations. The. Monroe Doctrine is a policy of self-defence, not of aggression." Mr. Welles said a Gorman victory would be followed by Axis attempts to secure a commercial and financial I stranglehold on Latin America, and! later by a military invasion. "While there is no satisfactory guarantee of the stability of peace in the Pacific, and the United States Navy remains based in the Pacific, the control of the Atlantic by a friendly Power is essential to the security of the United States," said Air. Welles. A message from Washington says that in the House of Representatives Air. Harry 15. Coffee (Democrat) has introduced a Bill seeking to prohibit the export of war materials to Japan, NEGOTIATIONS OPEN THAILAND AND 'INDO-CHINA RESULTS OF OPERATIONS SA TO ON, Jan. 30 Armistice negotiations between Thailand and Indo-C'hina opened last evening aboard a Japanese warship, but adjourned after a. brief discussion. A review of two months' military operations on the frontier reveals that Thai forces have occupied two bits of territory on the right bank of the Alekong River, the cession of which would probably have avoided fighting. Thai forces have also penetrated Cambodia along a 25-mile stretch from Surin down to the Gulf of Thailand. A Thai communique says that approximately 100 men have been killed and 300 wounded on the Thai side, since the outbreak of fighting and asserts that this is insignificant compared with the French total, which is not indicated. The Thai High Command says Thai forces captured the town of Luangprabang, on the right bank of the Mekong River on Tuesday. HONAN OFFENSIVE FIERCE JAPANESE ATTACK SHANGHAI, Jan. 3C The fiercest fighting is raging in Southern Honan following the launching of a large-scale Japanese offensive with the object, according to Japanese official reports, of trapping and crushing 180,000 Chinese troops concentrated in the area. Chungking admits that severe fighting is progressing, but says the motives of the attack are still obscure. SHORTAGES IN JAPAN SOVIET TRADE PLANS (Received January 81, 6.30 p.m.) SAX FRANCISCO. Jan. 30 On his arrival by Clipper from Hong Kong, Sir Victor Sassoon said Japan's internal situation was anything bui good. There were definite shortages oi food, labour and oil reserves. German advisers were swarming the country urging war. The Soviet has agreed to resume negotiations for the conclusion of t commercial agreement with Japan, a* well as undertaking to discuss a per manent Soviet-Japanese fisheries treaty says a Tokio message. JAPANESE ECONOMY WIDER STATE CONTROL (Received January 31, 11.10 p.m.) TOKIO, Jan. 3 The Cabinet has published a bill pro viding for revisions of the national mobilisation law, which will be submitted to Parliament on Saturday, It calls for wide extension of the scope of State control of materials, industries and banking. The Cabinet has submitted to Parliament a sweeping bill providing the death penalty, without appeal, for peace-time espionage. SHANGHAI SHOOTING JAPAN EXPRESSES REGRET British Wireless .LONDON, Jan. 30 Asked in the House of Commons what action was taken by the Government regarding the attempted assassination of the chairman of the Shanghai Municipal Council, Air. W. ,T. Keswick, and for information relating to the occurrence, Mr. R. A. Butler, UnderSecretary for Foreign Affairs, said that at a special meeting of ratepayers in the International Settlement on January 23, Air. Keswick was shot at and wounded by Ilayashi, chairman of the Japanese Ratepayers' Association. The shooting was accompanied by scenes of disorder on the part of Japanese ratepayers. The Ambassador to Tokio, Sir Robert Craigie, made strong representations about the disorderly conduct of the Japanese ratepayers and pressed for an early and suitable punishment for Hayashi. The Japanese Government informed Sir Robert that Hayashi was being brought back to Japan for trial and that everything would be done to prevent a recurrence of the incident, which was greatly regretted. Mr. Keswick's wounds, were nob serious and he was expected to leave hospital soon.