QUESTION OF PEACE OR WAR

Southland Times, Issue 24592, 14 November 1941, Page 5

QUESTION OF PEACE OR WAR

COUNTRIES IN PACIFIC

IMPORTANCE OF MR KURUSU’S MISSION

(United Press Association —Telegraph Copyright) (Rec. 1.5 a.m.) NEW YORK, November 12. Observers in Washington believe that peace or war in the Pacific depends on the instructions carried by Mr Saburo Kurusu, Japan’s special envoy to the United States, who has arrived in Honolulu on his way to Washington. Mr Kurusu said in an interview that he was most hopeful of settling the differences between Japan and the United States. Commenting on Mr Churchill’s review of the war position, The New York Times said: “The encouraging news given is likely to make Tokyo think again.” The National Broadcasting Corporation heard the Tokyo radio say: “The United States and Britain are already in a state of undeclared war with Japan. The undeclared war has been caused by the fact that the Britons and Americans have formed a united bloc against Japan. All that will follow now will be in the military field, which will be the only logical consequence.”

The Washington correspondent of The New York Times says that the likelihood of any direct conferences between President Roosevelt and Mr Kurusu has receded as Mr Roosevelt has kept to his tentative plans to leave for Warm Springs before Sunday. This is regarded as significant, possibly as an indication that the President has little hope that the Japanese attitude has changed. The British United Press correspondent states that reliable sources leveal that Marshal Chiang Kai-shek, the Chinese Commander-in-Chief, has appealed to the United States and Britain for military aid in the event of a Japanese move against the Burma highway. . The Tokyo newspaper Asahi Shimbun, commenting on Mr Churchill s speech, said: ‘‘We know that a Jap-anese-American war would naturally be a Japanese-British-American war and we are prepared. Whether it would be a hazardous adventure for the Japanese to plunge into the world struggle is none of Britain’s business. That will be judged independently by Japan.” SUBMARINE STRENGTH A Manila message states that substantial reinforcements of American

long-range submarines have arrived in the Philippines. The combined American and Dutch submarine strength in the south-west Pacific at present is stronger than at any stage of the Far Eastern tension.

Thai nervousness, which has been clearly observed in Bangkok during the past few weeks, came to a head last night when an official Bangkok radio commentator called on Thailanders to be prepared for war, declaring: “Thailand will be in the war this year or next.” He urged heroic resistance. Observers say that Thailand’s fears are obviously tied up with the fact that the rains have now ceased and in a few more weeks the country will be in a condition most favourable for invasion Despite reports that there are large Japanese forces in Indo-China, observers do not believe the Japanese strength there is sufficient for a land attack against Thailand. They believe the Japanese technique for domination of Thailand is likely to be an ultimatum followed by an air blitz in the hope of breaking the nerves of the Thai Government and, aided by “fifth column” activities, obtaining easy capitulation to enable Japanese protection rather than the hard road of military conquest.