MILITARY PACT SIGNED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 258, 28 September 1940, Page 7

MILITARY PACT SIGNED

ITALY, JAPAN, AND GERMANY

“NEW ORDERS” RECOGNISED

(United Press Association.—Copyright.—Rec. 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 27.

The German radio announces that a ten-year pact among Italy, Japan and Germany has been signed.

The contracting' parties agree to undertake to support each other militarily by all the means at their disposal in the event of one being attacked by a Power not yet involved either in the war against Britain or the Chinese-Japanese war. The agreement alters nothing in the political status existing among each and the Soviet. The pact is being enforced immediately.

MUTUAL ASSISTANCE.

The Berlin correspondent of the Associated Press states that the pact is for collaboration and mutual assistance, Japan recognising Germany’s and Italy’s leadership in the “new order” in Europe, but the British United Press says it is a military alliance. The German radio has confirmed that it is a military, political anu economic pact. Germany and Italy will recognise Japan's leadership tor the creation oi a “new order” for a great Asiatic lebensraum (living space). The German announcement of the alliance said that Hitler,. Count Ciano, von Ribbentrop' anu the Japanese Ambassador (Mr Kurusu) attended the signing. The three last-named read the agreement aloud : in their respective languages. Von Ribbentrop declared the pact was a military alliance among the three most powerful Powers in the world, and anyone disturbing the_ world’s peace would feel the might of 250 000,000 people. COMMON INTERESTS.

“After Germany and Italy had succeeded in the partial restoration ot their rights, the warmongers from the Jewish, capitalistic Democracy forced the war on Germany,” he said. “This Power, is now collapsing. The struggle we are now waging is not directed against any people, but is specifically against, the existence of an international plot. “The paet proclaims Italian, German and Japanese collaboration. It is the creation of a bloc of common interests.”

“The pact aims at reconstruction and peace throughout the world,” added von Ribbentrop. “Any country joining the alliance will have a voice in the redistribution of territory after the war.” Count Ciano and Mr Kurusu made short speeches welcoming the alliance, which is semi-nfficially interpreted in Berlin to mean that the Axis Powers and Japan have agreed to call a halt to all plans to extend or prolong the war. “Thus the three Powers have contributed to world peace and the great cause of establishing :i just, permanent and peaceful order.” PREVENTING AMERICAN ENTRY. It is authoritatively stated in Rome that the alliance is intended to forestall the entry of the United States into the war. •

It is authoritatively stated in Shanghai that the pact is a four-way defensive alliance (apparently including Spain) with economic sidelights, and will effectively prevent American participation in the European war, or an Anglo-American front in the Orient. It envisages a Spanish political offensive in South America in co-oper-ation with German Fifth Columnists in efforts to divert the United States from the Orient. Shanghai authorities regard the al liance as an Axis victory in the sense that Japan’s fleet can now be employed to immobilise the United States navy in’ tlic Pacific and possibly even involve the United States in a Pacific war, thus impeding American activities to aid Britain. The first reaction in AVasliington is to intensify the defences, especially the two-ocean navy, and to strengthen the outlying defences in the Pacific and Atlantic. JAPANESE POLICY.

It is authoritatively stated from Tokio that the Emperor has saffetioned the • Italian-German alliance, it is understood that Hitler’s representative, Herr Stahmers, has assured the Japanese that the Russian-German Pact is working well, and for this reason 'he urged Japan to turn to Russia. Diplomatic circles believe the present Japanese Government is pirepared to defy England and America because of promises of German support. The Berlin radio stated that the ■Axis Powers would .not take part in a Far Eastern war, neither would Japan enter the European conflict. In Tokio, the Foreign Office spokesman (Mr A’. Suma), commenting on the United States embargo on scrap iron exports, said; “Our views on these discriminatory actions are well known. AVe must be patient till the last moment.”

The Asahi Shimbun states that a clash between Japan and America now seems inevitable.

The Cabinet has appointed ten permanent managers for the establishment of the new national structure, including the Axis-minded Siego Nakano. Colonel Kingoro, Mr Hashimoto, and the Domei News Agency’s president (Mr Inosuko Furuno), also Count Aronyasu. Mr Arima, a friend of Prince Konoye, has been appointed DirectorGeneral.

ATTITUDE TO AMERICA

The Japanese Foreign Office has announced that the Emperor Hirohito has granted a rescript permitting the signature of the alliance in order that “peace might be restored as soon as possible.” A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are not changing our policy towards the United States. We are not abandoning the hope of readjusting our relations with the United States.” A defiant threat is launched by the extremist newspaper Kokumin Shimbun to-day in an outburst against Britain and America occasioned by America’s loan to China and the embargo on scrap metal. The paper said that if British and Americans continue their unprovoked anti-Japanese stand they will get a telling blow. Under tile heading. “Fight for Supremacy in Pacific,” the newspaper Miyako Shimbun says Indo-China is onlv a minor angle ol the major struggle" now developing between America and Japan, in which Britain is apparently participating. The comparatively conservative Asahi Shimbun declares it now seems inevitable that a clash will occur between Japan and the United States. “AVe rather welcome the United States’s decision to act- in a decisive manner instead of persecuting Japan by slow means.” Most observers in AVasliington doubt if the pact will influence Britain and the United States, and also , doubt

RUSSIA’S FATE,

if the pact will have any immediate physical results, since the three Powers are fully occupied already. Because of the limited achievements which the pact could produce immediately, some believe it was designed partly to bolster up the morale of the three countries where quick victories were anticipated and have not materialised.

Meanwhile, many observers have expressed the opinion that the ultimate and most important result might be the encirclement of Russia, leading the Soviet. to seriously and promptly consider a closer association with Britain and the United States.

Mussolini, telegraphing Prince Konoye, said: The lealians welcome a pact associating the energies of our countries in the great task of European and Asiatic reconstruction. Italy has long followed with unchanged sympathy developments of Japanese policy. Such high aims logically culminate in to-day’s events.

King Victor Emmanuel and Count Ciano ’ sent similar messages to the Mikado.