IN 48 HOURS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24133, 27 November 1941, Page 10

IN 48 HOURS

WASHINGTON TALKS DECISIONS LIKELY "CRITICAL STAGE" INDICATION OF MOVE By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright (Reed. 12.15 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 The State Department announces that definite decisions on the progress of the American-Japanese talks can be expected within 46 hours. The talks are said to have reached a critical final stage, according to one report. Mr. Hull is expected to confer with Mr. Kurusu, special Japanese envoy, to-day. Mr. Hull said last night that the talks so far had been exploratory, and further discussions would be necessary before any negotiations could be commenced. ' Further Consultations Separate discussions with representatives of the A.B.C.D. Powers and a conference at White House between senior American officials suggested last night that the United States is clearing the' way for a major move in the Far Eastern situation, - says the United Press. These developments came as the Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, prepared to resume his talks with the Japanese envoys. Mr. Hull is understood to be framing his reply to the Japanese on the basis of tiie lengthy,, conferences which he had on the two previous days with Viscount Halifax (Britain), Mr. B. G. Casey (Australia), Dr. Hu Shih (China) and Dr. A. Loudon (Netherlands). He is expected to present his answer "to the Japanese to-day. A message from Tokio says the newspaper Nichi Nichi gives prominence to a special despatch from Washington is headed: "Japanese-American Talks Approach Denouement. Both Sides' Terms Exhausted." The message asserts that the Washington atmosphere is more pessimistic. The same journal also gives prominence to an article from its London correspondent. . This is headed: "Britain Frantically Prepares for War With Japan." Speeches in Tokio The Japanese Prime Minister, General Tojo, in a speech to the Imperial Rule . Assistance - Association, said the 100,000.000 Japanese must become solid and firm and must march ahead in order to break through the unprecedented crisis. Lieiitenant-General Ando, Minister without portfolio, said that the nation absolutely supported General Tojo's three principles of foreign policy. It was watching keenly developments in the Pacific situation, which was on the brink of an explosion. The nation was ready to march at the word of command. "British and American bullets passing through Chungking are killing us," he said. American nationals in Japan have again been advised to leave the country ts soon as possible. Bangkok radio has issued another warning to the people of Thailand to be prepared for war.» -French officials in Hanoi are protesting against further Japanese violations cf sovereignty in Indo-China. "ON BRINK OF WAR" AMERICAN ADMIRAL'S VIEW , NEW YORK. Nov. 25 "The United States is on the brink of war with Japan, since it is difficult to see how any just settlement of the Far East situation can be reached,"

said Admiral Yarnell. speaking at Boston. "The imperialistic aims of Japan are intended to reduce China and the rest of the Far East to the position 6f vassals in a great self-contained empire." The United Press correspondent at Manila says that 500 airmen who resigned from the United States Army and Navy have arrived "somewhere in the Far East" to fight for China against Japan. BRUTAL TREATMENT RUSSIAN WAR PRISONERS INDICTMENT OF GERMANY LONDON, Nov. 25 The Soviet Foreign Minister, M. Molotoff, has sent a Note to all nonAxis Powers protesting against Germany's "atrocious" treatment of Russian prisoners. The Note states that the, Soviet Government has the facts concerning systematic German brutalities and atrocities inflicted on Red Army prisoners of war, in defiance of international rights and laws and human morality. Numerous Red Army prisoners, the majority of them wounded, have been subjected to brutal torture, punishments and murder, the Soviet Government says. The Germans have stripped warm ciothes from wounded Russians and they have often forced Russians to drive munition transports and also to march ahead of German columns advancing into battle. Numerous cases are . know n of Germans assaulting women doctors and nurses. Wounded Russians in German prison Camps get-no medical attention. They are kept out of doors day r.ud niaht and are aroused early in the morning with clubs and driven to work, whatever the.state of their health. Ninetyfive prisoners were shot in one day in the Chernukhinsk prison camp, in the Ukraine. Russian prisoners in the Pitesk camp received very little food for nearly four months, when a group of them wrote a letter to the .German commandant asking for food'to keep them alive. The commandant asked who had written the letter,' and five of the prisoners ivere shot, on the spot. - The Germans, says the Soviet Government. have instituted a brutal regime in prison camps in the hope of exterminating Soviet war prisoners by giving them -less food than war prisoners of other countries receive. The Soviet Government indignantly protests before the whole world against the Germans' barbaric violation of the "elementary rules of international law.

CONTROL OF BANKS

DECISION IN AUSTRALIA

OPERATION FROM TO-DAY {Reed. 10.35 p.m.) CANBERRA, Nov. •_>(! The Australian Government has detided to bring into force immediately its projected regulations for the control of private banks, which will operate to-morrow. The regulations, which were tabled in the House of Representatives to-day, are generally, in line with the Budget announcement and with the arrangements reached at the recent conference between Ministers and bankers. An allimportant point is that the regulations leave open the amount of investable funds which private banks must deposit "with the Commonwealth Bank, and also |. leave open the rate of interest payable gjjlgh. on these deposits.