TOJO'S OUTBURST

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24136, 1 December 1941, Page 7

TOJO'S OUTBURST

HATE OF DEMOCRACIES "PURGE WITH VENGEANCE" ALLEGED EXPLOITATION (Heed. 6.40 p.m.) NEW YORK, Nov. 29 The Japanese Prime Minister, General Tojo, in a statement in Tokio on the anniversary of the Japan-Manchukuo declaration of the "new order in East Asia," asserted that British and American exploitation of the Asiatic peoples must be "purged with vengeance." General Tojo said Marshal Chiang Kai-shek was dancing -to the tune of British and American Communism because Britain and the United States desired to throw the Asiatic peoples against each other. "This is the stock-in-trade of Britain and the United States, and therefore we must purge this sort of action with vengeance," he said. The Manila correspondent of the Associated Press says responsible authorities there predicted the failure of the American-Japanese discussions and the probable replacement of the Tojo Government with a full pro-war Government, probably headed by General Itagaki. Competent observers agree that it is not in Japan's character to retreat now, especially under the present leadership of the militarists. It is generally believed that Japan will not choose the alternative of accepting the United States terms to withdraw from China and quit the Axis. It is feared that the only other alternative is war. The Tokio correspondent of the New \ork Times, Otto Tolischus, declares that the strong gestures of the group of nations following the United States are steadily aggravating the situation in the Pacific. The correspondent says the Japahese Cabinet discussed the American Note for nearly two hours. No decisions were announced, and no hint was given of what impression was induced. But there was, perhaps, significance in the fact that prior to the Cabinet meeting General Muto, Director of Military Affairs, and Admiral Oka, Director of Naval Affairs, submitted the Note to a careful scrutiny, and then reported to the Cabinet. The Domei agency, quoting wellqualified observers, says: "This behaviour represents, of course, the favourite American tactics of intimidation and appeasement," and points out that the presentation 01 a formal American document which presumably "bluntly notifies Japan of America's determination." is the most important development so far. PHILIPPINES COMPLAINT DEFENCE PLANS BLOCKED (Reed. 7.3 p.m.) MANILA, Nov. 30 Should the war strike now it would find the Philippines unprepared and unprotected, said the President, Dr. Manuel Quezon, in a speech at the university. Thousands might be killed for lack of air raid shelters. If war had broken two months ago there would have been starvation. American "imperialists" blocked his defence -plans i n order to have an argument against the granting of independence to the Philippines. AMERICAN MARINES LEAVE SHANGHAI, Nov. 20 Seven hundred American marines sailed from Shanghai, leaving barely 200 in all China.