TIGHTENING THEIR GRIP

Evening Star, Issue 23702, 9 October 1940, Page 7

TIGHTENING THEIR GRIP

JAPANESE IN INDO-CHINA OVERSTEPPING TERMS OF AGREEMENT Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright HANOI, October 8. (Received October 9, at 9.50 a.m.) Japanese officials said they might find it necessary to utilise additional Indo-China aerodromes, and also hinted that they might request IndoChina to grant the Japanese army a “ credit loan ” for the support of the armed forces in Indo-China. The Japanese have already concentrated 40 planes at Hanoi and also a garrison estimated at 600 mechanised troops who are at present establishing military communication lines through' Hanoi streets. They have also laid a cable across Haiphong harbour. French officials admitted that the Japanese were overstepping th® original terms of the agreement and were bringing the. entire kingdom of Tongking under Japanese control. FRENCH ADMINISTRATION TRANSFER OF HEADQUARTERS SHANGHAI, October 8. (Received October 9, at 11.30 a.m.) A 1 China Mail ’ dispatch from Haiphong says M. Decoux is transferring his headquarters from Hanoi to Hue “ in view of recent developments.” ACTIVITY IN WASHINGTON SERIES OF CONFERENCES WASHINGTON, October 8. (Received October 9, at 10 a.m.) Mr Horinouchi, the Japanese Ambassador, has arranged to confer with Mr Cordell Hull, while Lord' Lothian is scheduled to meet President Roosevelt,. who is receiving all reports from the Far East. Admiral Richardson is expected to confer with President Roosevelt before returning to the Pacific Coast later this week. President Roosevelt later lunched with Admiral Richardson, Mr Sumner Welles, and Admiral Leahy. It is generally believed that all aspects of the Far East situation, including the disposition of the American fleet, were thoroughly discussed. RAIDED BY POLICE JAPANESE ESTABLISHMENTS IN HONGKONG HONGKONG, October 8. (Received- October 9, at 9.15 a.m.) It is learned that the Hongkong police over the week-end and yesterday raided several Japanese establishments, including the Bank of Taiwan, the Japanese newspaper, ‘ Hongkong Nippo,’ and the home of the * Asahi correspondent. EXTREMELY TENSE SITUATION AT WEI-HAI-WEI LONDON, October 8. (Received October 9, at 9.20 a.m.) Reuter’s Shanghai correspondent reports that the Wei-Hai-Wei situation is extremely tense. On October 1, from which date the new British . lease was granted by Chungking, 60 Chinese sailors, accompanied by a force of armed Japanese marines brought from Tsingtao in the Japanese cruiser Iwate, landed on the island in order “ to take over the administration.” Simultaneously boards were established in prominent positions throughout the island stating in Japanese and English that “ British interests having terminated on September SO", 1940, the Japanese navy hereafter takes over and administers the island for military necessity.” It is understood that the Japanese requested the evacuation of all property occupied by the British naval authorities. THE PUPPET GOVERNMENT JAPAN POSTPONES FORMAL RECOGNITION SHANGHAI, October 8. (Received October 9, at 12.33 p.m.) Japan is postponing formal recognition of Wang Ching-wei’s regime, which had beer, scheduled for October 10, the anniversary of the Chinese revolution. It is understood that the postponement is connected with the new Axis alliance, also partly by the Japanese hopes of rapprochement with Russia. AMERICAN WHEAT AND FLOUR SUBSIDIES SUSPENDED WASHINGTON, October 8. (Received October 9, at 12.20 p.m.) The Government has suspended subsidies on shipments of wheat and flour from Pacific ports to Hongkong.