APPROACH TO SOVIET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 November 1939, Page 5

APPROACH TO SOVIET

URGED BY STRONG ELEMENTS IN JAPAN ATTEMPT TO IMPRESS BRITAIN I & AMERICA. I OPERATIONS IN SOUTH CHINA. | By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright LONDON. November 19. A Tokio message reports lhe Domei news agency as slating llial powerful elements ai'e urging the Government Io (‘imvliule a n<m-ag- i eressimi treaty with llussia, | regardless of Anglo-American displeasure, because ol the potential dangers ol the Kus-so-lapanese sit mil ion. This requires immediate adjustment, while the British-American-Japanese relations are secondary. The Domei agency adds that the Numuia-Smetanin talks are designed to effect a fundamental readjustment of relations. The Tokio correspondent of tin United Press believes that the Domei statement is part, of a campaign to impress Britain and America with the necessity for a, reasonable attitude toward Japan's’ aspirations and to harden Japanese nerves for the strained American-Japanese relations which are foreseen if the AmericanJapanese treaty is not replaced. UNITED STATES POLICY. A New York message says the Washington correspondent of the "New York Times" states that nothing authoritative confirms the impression that the United States is contemplating protecting the Far East. Belief that President Roosevelt will encourage Congress to impose an economic embargo on Japan is at present unwarranted. The correspondent adds that it is doubted whether the United States’ attitude, as a result of the intensification of Japan’s campaign in China, will force Japan into the arms of Russia. It is realised that Russia and Japan may reach economic understandings. but an alliance is not. expected. The Shanghai correspondent of the "New York Times.” Mr Abend, state? that the rapid advance of the Japanese in Kwangs! is likely to have most important political and military effects, emboldening the recalcitrance of the Governor of Yunnan, General Lungyan, long suspected of friendliness to Wang Ching-wei. He recently opposed Marshal Chiang Kai-shek’s orders to send a portion of the Yunnan provincial armies to Hunan. THE PAKHOI OFFENSIVE. The Highest Japanese, authorities'in Shanghai assert that the Kwangsi invasion is not merely a diversion designed to cut off Pakhoi's port, but wil. develop into a most important move eventually stopping Chungkiang’s supplies via the Yunnan railway and rendering useless China’s new Burma highway. If these objects are achieved the Soviet will be China’s only foreign source of war materials. The Shanghai correspondent of the ••New York Herald-Tribune" states that Admiral R. Thomas Hart commander of the recently-strengthened United States Asiatic Fleet, and Mr Clarence Gauss, American Consul-Gen-eral in Shanghai, are sailing for Manila next Tuesday aboard the flagship Augusta to confer with Mr Francis Sayre United States High Commissioner in the Philippines, on American interests and policies in the Far East. Mr Nelson Johnson. American Ambassador to China, may arrive in time to participate The conference is arousing widespread interest in China and Japan Admiral Hart may spend a month inspecting the Philippines in view of the special problems that have developer, as a consequence of the European war. CHINESE VIEWPOINT. The Chungking correspondent of the “New York Times” says the Chinese spokesman declared that the invasion of Kwangsi would require at least two divisions and enable China to tie up a further large enemy force. The Foreign Office organ, the "Hankow Herald." says: "The attack is a threat more to the security of Indo-China than to South China. If it succeeds the value and significance of Indo China as a French colony would be lost.’ The Chinese claim success in counter operations south-west of Shansi. They have reoccupied Tailing Wuching. Fuhsien. and retaken all important P °The Japanese claim to be consolidating their control of the Yamhsion area They straddle the Pakhoi.-Nankinj. road 60 miles from the main IndoChina highway, but the chief motor and rail life line is 600 miles inland. Foreign military experts do not believe lhe Japanese intend to make a major drive in the Yunnan Province but to consolidate a new control of Kwangtung preparatory to lhe proclamation of Mr Wang Ching-wei as Governor in Central China.