WHITE BOOK ISSUED

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22470, 4 January 1943, Page 5

WHITE BOOK ISSUED

U. S. Foreign Policy (7.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Jan. 2. The State Department has issued a White Book entitled “Peace and the War—United States foreign ralicy, 1931-1941.” Disclosing important diplomatic documents of the fateful decade before Pearl Harbour, the book reveals that Mr Joseph Grew (U.S. Ambassador t:> Japan) cabled from Tokio on January 27, 1941, that the Japanese were planning "a surprise attack on Pearl Harbour in case of trouble with the United States.” This cablegram was only one of a series of warnings dating back to 1932. and which became progressively urgent in subsequent years until Mr Cordell Hull (Secretary of State) told the British Ambassador on November 29, 1941, that the “diplomatic part of our relations with Japan were virtually over, and the matter was now going to the army and navy officials.” He added that it would be a serious mistake for our country and other countries interested in the Pacific to make plans for resistance, n ’. including the possibility’ that Japan may move suddenly with every possible element of surprise spread out over considerable areas, with Ihe capture '.if certain positions and posts before peaceful countries interested in the Pacific would have time to confer and formulate plans.