INDO-CHINA

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1940, Page 6

INDO-CHINA

Although recent cables indicated a stiffening of the attitude of French Indo-China to the Japanese demands the latest information rather discounts such an impression, and it would not be surprising if before long Japan "absorbs" the fareastern limb of the late French Empire as completely and effectively as Herr Hitler has absorbed a large part of Europe. Britain has a particular interest in the situation, for Japanese control of French IndoChina would cut off at its source the sole remaining important supply of munitions to beleagured China. An early end to hostilities in China by the virtual capitulation of China through being robbed of military aid would leave Japan free to turn her eyes southwards. * » • • M. Georges Mandel (whose real name is Rothschild) is now a prisoner of war in France awaiting trial on charges of having contributed towards the war, but before the fall of France Indo-China occupied a prominent place in his ambitions. When he became Minister of Colonies in April, 1938, he allotted 440,000,000 francs to Indo-China for anti-aircraft guns, coastal batteries, improved harbours and other defences. With the express purpose of making the country self-sufficient in wartime he pushed ahead with public works, expanded the light industries and increased production of coal, tin, rubber, iron and rice. • # • • But the commodities in which Indo-China has been specialising are the very ones (with the exception of oil) which Japan most needs and covets. Realisation , pf desire was comparatively easy. After the fall of France Japan asked for and obtained the cessation of military supplies to China, and one of the clauses in the agreement was that Japanese officials were to be permitted to examine the traffic from Indo-China to ensure that the stoppage of military supplies was complete. The result was that by the middle of August Japan had to all intents and, purposes completed a military occupation of Indo-China without firing a shot. Thousands of "traffic examiners" swarmed into the country dressed variously in mufti, military khaki and navy blue, and proceeded to chart the airports, survey the highways and estimate the troop traffic (Japanese) that the Uaiphong-Kunming railway could carry when necessary or desirable. Japanese commercial agents followed fast in the wake of the others, three destroyers lay off Haiphong to make sure everything went according to plan, and a large fleet, including no less than 18 transports packed with troops, moved swiftly southwards from Formosa to a destination unknown. « # * * Japan has ever been an expert copyist, and with Herr Hitler and Signor Mu iolini as her models she adopted the now familiar practice of asserting that Indo-China was not doing its part. It was still allowing military goods to trickle into China. New demands followed immediately. The1-; were (1) that Japan shouid be allowed to transport troops into China by the IndojChinese railway; (2) that Japanese naval planes and vessels shouid have port facilities at Haiphong; and (3) that all work c i the French defences shouid cease at once. The authorities are now reported to have acceded to these new demands, and it is not surprising that both the United States and Great Britain are showing increasing concern over the immediate potentialities of the fareastern situation.