JAPAN AND GERMANY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 281, 27 November 1936, Page 7

JAPAN AND GERMANY

ANTI-COMMUNIST PACT OFFICIAL STATEMENTS AGREEMENT OUTLINED [By Telegraph—Press A. sociation— Copyright] BERLIN, Nov. 25. I It is officially stated that Germany and Japan have concluded an agreement against the Communist International. The agreement, which will be opera- i tive in five months, declares that the 1 aim ot the Communist International is the violation of ail existing St itts by 1 every means; also that Communism 1 threatens world peace. The signatories agree(1) To inform each other of all Com- ‘ munist activities and discuss co- < operative defensive measures. (2) To invite other Powers to join in ; the agreement. The additional protocol pledges the j signatories (1) to punish severely ( Communist operatives; (2) to estab- , lish a standing commission in order to decide the defensive measures. , The text of the agreement was an- , nounced to a meeting of foreign diplo- . mats at the Wilhelmstrasse, to which , the Soviet Ambassador was not in- j vlted. ( JAPANESE STATEMENT . I 1 ] COMINTERN DENOUNCED TOKIO, Nov. 25. The Foreign Office has issued a statement that the Japanese-German agreement is not directed against the Soviet Union and denies that there is any other agreement behind It, or that the Japanese Government intends forming or joining any International bloc, but. drastically condemns the Comintern, which, it says, has since establishment been engaged in activities menacing world peace. The statement concludes: •'Japan desires to co-operate with as many , Powers as possible in defensive meas- . ures against the Comintern menace, t but for that purpose alone. - ’ ] The statement added that the Com- ] intern last year decided to organise i a united front to oppose Fascism and , Imperialism, and made it clear that its future objectives were Japan, Germany, and Poland. It also resolved to support the Chinese Communis* armies against Japan. WALL AGAINST THE REDS GERMANY’S AIM DEFINED < A PACT OF DEFENCE < 1 Received Nov. 26. 6.40 p.m. f BERLIN, Nov. 25. Dr. Goebbels, broadcasting an ex- i planation, said that Germany had ; built an unscaleable wall against the ! Reds. Nazism, which had suffered ! four hundred dead and many thous- i ands wounded at the hands of Bolshe- ' vists, knew what Bolshevism hoped. : Events in Spain, which were a bloody ; example and terrible proof, showed how right Germany had been to keep i this danger at a distance. ( “Japan and Germany have now £ placed themselves on the defensive - against the devilish attempts of’ the s Comintern to embroil the world,’’ said ( Dr. Goebbels. £ Referring to the agreement, one of I the German’s comments was: “Now a we shall get some rice!” TO OPERATE FIVE YEARS IVHAT LIES BEHIND IT? BRITISH LIKELY TOBBE ALOOF Received Nov. 26, 8.5 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 25. The Japanese-German agreement *• will operate for five years. The Times expressed an opinion that it is probable that the agreement is not the whole story, and behind its unimpeachable doctrinaire ; facade exists some form of miltary alliance. It says that however despicable the activities of the Comintern may be the formation of an antiCommunist bloc is both regrettable and unnecessary. Britain will certainly preserve her detachment. A TURNING POINT FIGHT AGAINST BOLSHEVISM. ( GERMAN-JAPANESE VIEWPOINTS ’ Received Nov. 27. 1 a.m. BERLIN, Nov. 26. £ Herr von Ribbentrop signed the agreement and afterwards described it as an epoch-making event. “It is the turning point in a defensive struggle of al! the nations loving order and civilisation against the forces of subversion,” he said. “Japan will never permit the spread of Bolshevism in Eastern Asia. Germany is the L bulwark against this pest in the j heart of Europe. Italy will hold high the, anti-Bolshevist banner in the south.” Count Mushakoji, the Japanese Ambassador, who signed for Japan, said that Germany and • Japan felt themselves most strongly threatened by the Comintern’s subversive activities. “By this agreement the Japanese Empire and the new Germany have contributed their share to the pacification of the world,” he said.