NAZI PROMISES

Taranaki Daily News, 28 September 1940, Page 7

NAZI PROMISES

SHANGHAI NEAR CRISIS

Received 6.30 p.m. Tokio, September 26. T)IPLOMATIC circles believe the present Government is prepared to defy England and the United States because of promises of German support. It is understood that the German ambassador, Heir Stahmers, has assured the Japanese that the Russian-German pact is working well. For this reason he urged that Japan should turn to Russia. It is authoritatively stated that the Emperor has sanctioned the Italian-German-Japanese alliance, which has not been signed pending the Privy Council's ratification, which is expected daily. Radicals are clamouring for an early announcement of the alliance. Mr. Yukishiro Suma, Japanese Foreign Office spokesman, commenting on the United States embargo on scrap iron, said. "Our views on these discriminatory actions are well known. We must be patient until the last moment." The Asahi Shimhun states that a clash between Japan and America now seems inevitable.

A Shanghai report states that Japanese - fomented strikes are spreading. They include a strike of municipal garbage and nightsoil collectors, thereby presenting a threat of disease throughout the city. M. Essen, head of the French bus compar.y ,and his Russian staff have been missing for two days. It is believed they have been kidnapped. . The Portuguese foreman or the same company was kidnapped yesterday and released after an order for the men to quit work had been given. Three more Chinese were wounded to-day in Shanghai's strike. Pickets tried to prevent a tram working and police fired in the air before the fracas was quelled. The strike spread to a number of private concerns. A Korean believed to be an adherent of Wang Ching Wei, puppet President of China, is reported as having been seen haranguing workers last night at several offices where strikes occurred. Authoritative circles at Shanghai expect a crisis at the week-end. Directors of utilities companies declare agitators are threatening that workers' families will be harmed unless workers in power, gas and waterworks strike at the weekend. An incendiary bomb explosion on board a French tram-car at Shanghai under a police guard wounded several l!!!!lllll!lllll!llllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllill!lllllllllll!llli

passengers and set fire to the car. It is understood that the Japanese thus far have not presented formal demands on the French concession. It is officially announced by both the French and Japanese authorities that the Indo-China border incident is settled and fighting has ceased eompletely. Prior to landing almost 2000 troops, lncluding a column of tanks at Hanoi, the Japanese dropped four bombs in the native quarter, causing 15 casualties. The troops marched through Haiphong streets en route to a specially prepared garrison. The authorities have refused clearances to British ships for Indo-China and have recalled those en route. The Japanese Foreign Office has released a joint French-Japanese communique regarding the Indo-China agreement under which the Japanese Government has given the French Government an assurance that it will respect the rights and interests of France in East Asia, especially the territorial inlegrity of French Indo-China and French sovereignty over all parts of the union of Indo-China. On the other hand the French Government has agreed to afford the Jgpanese army and navy special facilities necessary for the prosecution of the latter's military operations. It is reported from Kwangsi that Japanese casualties number 1000 in the Dong Dang clash. Minor clashes are taking place between Chinese and Japanese forces on the Kwangsi — Indo-China border. Illlllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllillllllllltlllillll