INTERNATIONAL INTERVENTION IS LAST HOPE OF SURVIVAL

Chronicle (Levin), 24 July 1947, Page 5

INTERNATIONAL INTERVENTION IS LAST HOPE OF SURVIVAL

Press Assn,

By Telegraph

.-Copyright

Received Thursday, 10.45 a.m. BATAVIA, July 23. The Indonesian Republic tonight faces the prospect of military defeat within a week, according to neutral observers. With the fall of it§ East Java stronghold at Malang imminent, and a two prong Dutch drive from Semarang on the heart of Republican Java making rapid progress, observers now place the last hope for the survival of the Republic on International intervention through the Security Council.

Having occupied the biggest towns in Java's eastern peninsula within 48 hours of their fixst amphibious landings, the Dutch are now fighting strongly south of Lawang against desperate Republican resistance for the island's most beau iful city, Malang. If it falls the Republican troops will be forced to retire to the difficult rnountains bordering the valley — an ancient Javanese battleground — and continue guerrilla warfare. In Central Java a two-pronged drive from Semarang is now at least half way to Jogjakarta and j Surakarta — the centre of Indo- i nesia'n nationalism. Another advance started yester- I day has driven several miles down i the railway line and road leading from Bandung towards ihe Republican capital, while a second from the same city has reached Kadipaten, half way to Cheribon, the Republic's best overseas north coas' port. Dutch official communiques and j other reports have reached Batavia saying that Republican resistance not being as stro'ng as was expected is accounted for in two ways by observers. Firstly, the Republican troops are too ill-equipped and insufficiently

organised to withstand the attack of a modern mechanised army. Secondly, realising their inability to halt the Dutch mechanised advances, the Republican troops are let ing the Dutch over-run the main cities on the island with only initial resistance to spread their forces before the beginning of an all-out guerrilla campaign that may keep the Dutch occupied for years, sapping Holland economically until she agrees to international mediation. The next few days, or perhaps weeks, will indicate which is correct. Jogjakarta radio tonight appealed to the youth students' movement of India for assistance to prevent further fighting in Indonesia.