“JAPAN’S GRAVE HOUR”

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21867, 21 January 1941, Page 5

“JAPAN’S GRAVE HOUR”

China Incident Has Taken Toll British Official Wireless RUGBY, January 18. "The Times,” in a leader entitled “Japan’s Grave Hour,” says: “The purpose of the series of meetings which is being held by Prince Konoye is undoubtedly to allay widespread misgivings about results at home and abroad. The appalling casualty figures now becoming known in Tokio must blazon, to the eyes of even the most purblind in Japan, the terrible cost of the attempt to conquer China, which remains unconquered after nearly four years of war. Nor do they represent all the losses which the militaristic policy of the last six years has involved. The cost in money is mounting to such an extent as to cast doubt upon the future solvency of the country. “Moreover, the policy of militarism Involves in Japan, as everywhere else, another loss—loss of liberty at home. The liberal traditions which Japanese statesmen of a previous generation had carefully built up are going by the board, and to the loss of life and income is being added the loss of civil rights. Leading Country to Ruin “The Japanese public cannot fail to see that the policy of soldiers and sailors is having just as bad an irifluence in external as in home affairs, for relations with the United States are rapidly deterioralng. The present policy of the Japanese Government seems to be leading the country to financial ruin and dissension between the militarists and the politicians at home and abroad and to an extension of the war, which already strains the national resources to an almost unbearable degree. "The United States is being truculently bidden to refrain from helping Britain while Japan is doing what she can to help Germany. President Roosevelt, of course, is not in the least affected by the Japanese threats, and the United States continues to assist both Britain and China.”