ASSURANCES TO THAILAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24135, 29 November 1941, Page 10

ASSURANCES TO THAILAND

Although an official spokesman in Tokio says that the talks between Japan and the United States are still continuing, Mr. Hull is rather non-committal and the Domei news agency, which expresses the views of the Japanese Government, is pessimistic. Meantime, Thailand, as the most likely object of Japanese aggression, is seeking assurances from all sides. The situation is very reminiscent of Holland and Belgium in the early months of the war. Both countries received assurances from Great Britain and France and the most definite undertakings from Germany. In the light of long experience it is a wonder that neutral countries place any store on Axis promises of this character. Yet the self-deception—perhaps it would be more fair to call it hope against hope—persists. The Japanese, whose record in broken promises at least equals Hitler's, declare that they have no aggressive intentions against Thailand. The concentration of troops on the Thai-Indo-Chinese border is thus merely a harmless military exercise. It is encouraging to turn from nonsense of this kind to the implications of the AngloAmerican assurances to Thailand.

Without the authority of the Senate Mr. Boosevelt cannot guarantee Thai territorial integrity. No American troops are in Malaya and the American undertaking to respect the independence of Thailand can be reasonably construed as evidence of the determination of the United States to intervene if Japan marches on Bangkok. The report that Washington has taken steps to meet such a situation is encouraging and has apparently emboldened Thailand to adopt a firmer attitude toward Japan.