KURUSU MISSION

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24125, 18 November 1941, Page 7

KURUSU MISSION

TALKS IN WASHINGTON DANGER TO AUSTRALIA MR. CURTIN'S COMMENT (Reed. 9.15 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 17 The Japanese envoy, Mr. Eurusu, is to have an interview with the United States Secretary- of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, in Washington to-day. The Japanese Ambassador, Admiral Nomura, will be present. "Unless Mr. Kurusu is empowered to make real concessions his mission is likely to be a failure," said the commentator, Mr. E. A. Montague. Renter's correspondent in Tokio states that the tone of the speeches of General Tojo and Mr. Togo at the Japanese Diet session was pessimistic. The New York Times' Tokio correspondent, Otto Tolischus, says Japan's determination to continue her present policies is evident from the report on the military situation which General Tojo rendered to the Diet as War Minister. He declared that the Japanese forces from Manchukuo to Indo-China were making strenuous efforts to crush the Chungking Government and accelerate the construction of the "East Asia co-prosperity sphere," while completing all necessary preparations to meet any eventualities. General Tojo said Marshal Chiang Kai-shek was no longer able to itake the offensive, but nevertheless further political and strategic efforts would be necessary to attain Japan's objectives in the China campaign. "The danger to Australia in the Pacific is very, very great," said the Commonwealth Prime Minister, Mr. Curtin. "No Australian knows when we may be called upon to defend ourselves."

COMPLETE SURRENDER

INDO-CHIM'S DECISION JAPANESE INFILTRATION (Reed. 1.10 a.m.) SINGAPORE, Nov. 17 The greatest significance is attached locally to a broadcast by Admiral Decoux, Governor-General of IndoChina, from Saigon, in which he announced a'complete purge of administrative circles of elements lukewarm in their attitude toward the new order in Indo-China. This action indicates a complete change to totalitarianism and final surrender to Japan. v Admiral Decoux announced the dismissal of 150 French and 150 local officials, and added: "There are other officials also showing a bad example. They will need watching. "I am appointing a Federal Council, the .members of which I am choosing myself. They will replace the present elective system." He also announced the appointment of a Department of Youth", which would lay down rules for the guidance of the young. The reference to officials means not only administrative officers, but elected members of the Government council. Observers believe that the purge is most important, because it means the disappearance of the last shred of resistance to Japanese infiltration.

KEHI MARU SINKING RUSSIAN REPLY TO PROTEST (Reed. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Not. 16 The Soviet Ambassador to Tokio, M. Smetanin, handed to Mr. Togo, Japanese Foreign Minister, Russia's reply to Japan's protest at the sinking of the Kehi Maru bj a drifting mine, says a message from Tokio. Informed circles said it is understood all the major Japanese claims were rejected. Japanese accounts give the total dead and missing as ]26. The Russian reply said the sinking was 700 miles from mined waters and it was not believed that a Russian mine was responsible. The possibility was suggested of a third Power seeking' to create a Russo-Japanese incident.

END OF THE COSSACK EXPLOSION AND FLAMES OFFICER'S DESCRIPTION LONDON, Nov. 16 Captain E. L. Berthon, D.S.C., and members of the crew of the destroyer Cossack who were killed when the ship was lost, could have known and felt nothing of what happened, said an officer describing the explosion which resulted in the ship's end. "I had gone down from the bridge to thq charthouse," he said, "and the next thing I knew was I was being helped back to the bridge by a seaman. I had a dislocated shoulder and broken teeth. There was oil everywhere and the seamen who were helping me were so black they were not recognisable. "There were eight or nine officers on the bridge when I left, and none were there when I returned. All had found themselves in other parts of the ship or in the water, not knowing how they got there. The ship ,was head to the wind, making the fire spread rapidly and causing ammunition ready for use on deck to go off like fireworks." The officer added that some of the ship's company included participants in all the exploits of the Cossack, including the Altmarck capture, the Narvik raid and the sinking of the Bismarck.

RAPID PRODUCTION MR. ATTLEE IMPRESSED LONDON, Nov. 17 A statement that he was more than satisfied with what he had seen and heard in the United States and Canada was made by the Lord Privy Seal, Mr. Attlee, upon his arrival at Lisbon last night after attending the International Labour Office conference in New York. One of the things that most -mi pressed him in the United States, said Mr. Attlee, was an engine factory with a floor space of 600,000 square feet. The factory was erected and men were working in it in 57 days. He was equally impressed with what he saw in dockyards and other engineering shops. It was the same story in Canada.

CANALS OF BRITAIN LONDON, Nov. 17 Britain's network of canals is again in this war playing an important part in the nation's transport system. In peacetime millions of tons of goods were carried in this manner. Representatives of the canal owners and workers*' unions have been asked by the Government to make suggestions as to the best use of the canals.