ULTIMATUM TO FRENCH

Southland Times, Issue 24237, 21 September 1940, Page 5

ULTIMATUM TO FRENCH

Japanese Present Fresh Demands NEGOTIATIONS ABOUT INDOCHINA (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) LONDON, September 20. (Received September 20, 11.30 p.m.) The Japanese authorities are reported to have presented the French Government in Indo-China with a new set of demands, according to a report from Hong Kong. The time limit for the acceptance of these demands, it is stated, expires on Sunday. It is reported that these demands include the right to send troops through the territory and to establish bases there. A statement from Hanoi declares that the negotiations have reached a delicate stage, but against this a Japanese Press conference was told that negotiations were proceeding smoothly. Reports from Hanoi state that the situation there is . considered critical since the members of the Japanese mission have announced that they are leaving Mishihara. They made a farewell call on M. Decoux.

‘ M. Paul Baudouin, Foreign Minister in the Vichy Government, told American newspaper men that France was “all alone” in the Far East. She should not be judged too severely if her decisions did not please the Western world. France understood that real support could not be expected from America in the event of the Japanese attacking Indo-China. He added that France would henceforth remain silent about Britain.

A Tokyo cable says-the Chinese have seized control of a section of the French-owned Yunnan railway in Chinese territory. An Hanoi correspondent says that the Japanese spokesman announced that all Japanese civilian nationals in IndoChina were being removed by special trains beginning on August 20, before the prospective arrival of Japanese troops.