PACIFIC CRISIS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24135, 29 November 1941, Page 11

PACIFIC CRISIS

WASHINGTON TALKS SERIOUS POSITION tokio cabinet meets DECISION WITH JAPAN (Reed. 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 28 The seriousness of the Pacific situation is emphasised in Washington. The Japanese Cabinet met today and considered the United States' proposals. A despatch from Washington says the Herald-Tribune states that the Japanese threat to Thailand, coupled with an apparent breakdown of the Washington talks, appears to have brought America and Japan closer to war than at any previous time in their history. The fateful decision now rests with Tokio. It is assumed in Washington, the Herald-Tribune adds, that the representatives of the A.B.C.D. Powers talked on the possibility of combined military and naval action against Japan if she moves into Thailand. It is reported that the United States Army authorities have asked for the names, perhaps for special duty, of all soldiers who speak Japanese. "Kupture Imminent" The Japanese vernacular newspapers, says a Tokio report, in interpreting the document handed to the Japanese representatives by Mr. Hull, as the final United States proposal, say that a rupture of the Washington negotiations is imminent on account of the United States attitude not having changed from the time of Prince Konoye's message to the holding of the conversations, and because it is impossible for Japan to compromise on proposals dictated by the needs of self-preservation. ; It is reported from Washington that President Roosevelt and Mr. Hull unexpectedly met Admiral Nomura and Mr. Kurusu at the White House for > three-quarters of an hour last night. ■ It was stated afterward that the talks . were "very friendly." Mr. Hull subsei quently said that he had no engage- . ments for- further meetings with the r Japanese envoys. s Mr. Kurusu said he had no orders to return to Japan, and he was waiting to I hear from Tokio whether Mr. Hull's I proposals provided a basis for negotiaI tion. He added that the proposals were at present being studied in Tokio. , Japanese Army Chiefs > The Japanese Prime Minister, General Tojo, explained the situation to Japans ese army chiefs in Tokio yesterday. The . deputy-spokesman, Mr. lichi Kishi, said ■ the Japanese Foreign Office was examining the Hull document, which was received late last night. He declined to reveal when instructions concerning it will *be sent to Admiral Nomura and Mr. Kurusu. The Tokio radio this morning quoted an official Japanese spokesman as saying that the talks between Japan and the United States were continuing. 7 The Domei news agency says that 3 the terms handed to the Japanese en--3 voys in Washington offer little hope of s bridging the gap in Japanese-American r problems. There is little room for hope 5 that the conversations will be prolonged. 1 J LARGE "GARAGE" UNIT v . (Reed. 5.40 p.m.) OTTAWA, Nov. 27 i It is announced that a new Canadian j ordnance unit of 1600 skilled tradesmen 3 is to bo formed immediately and sent to Britain. It will be equipped com- ! pletely as the "world's largest garage . and workshop."