LATE NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 24605, 29 November 1941, Page 7

LATE NEWS

UNITED STATES AND JAPAN

“RUPTURE IMMINENT”

(Rec. 2.15 a.m.) TOKYO, Nov. 28. The vernacular newspapers interpret Mr Cordell Hull’s document as a final United States proposal. They said a rupture was imminent because the United States attitude had not unchanged from the time of Prince Konoye’s message and it was impossible for Japan to compromise on proposals dictated by the needs of self-preserva-tion. The deputy-spokesman, Mr lichi Kishi, said the Foreign Office was examining Mi- Hull’s document, which was received late last night. He declined to reveal when instructions on it will be sent to Admiral Nomura and Mr Kurusu. The New York Herald-Tribune says the Japanese threat to Thailand, coupled with the apparent breakdown of the Washington talks, appears to have brought America and Japan closer to war than at any previous time in history, says a New York message. The fateful decision now rests with Tokyo. It is assumed here that the ABCD powers have talked of the possibility of combined military and naval action against Japan if she moves into Thailand. It is reported the United States Army has asked for the names, perhaps for special duty, of all soldiers who speak Japanese. SURRENDER OF GONDAR ' LONDON, November 28. Gondar, the last Italian stronghold in the whole of East Africa, has surrendered to a force largely composed of East African troops and Patriots. Ten thousand prisoners have been taken, of whom half are Italians.