AXIS & JAPAN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 October 1940, Page 5

AXIS & JAPAN

COMMENT ON NEW PACT MR GARVIN’S OBSERVATIONS. COVERT PRESSURE ON SOVIET t) (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 29. Commenting on the new German-Italian-Japanese pact, the “Sunday Times” says: “The alliance is, of course, primarily aimed at America, f Japan hopes that it will de•e ter Mr Roosevelt from action ■e in the Pacific, and Germany and Italy that it will prevent him from coming to the aid of Britain. “It is not in the least likely to be influential either way, and it does not represent any substantial changfe in the pre-existing situation. “Japan is fully occupied in the China War and she cannot expect help on her side of the world from the European e dictators,” the newspapers states. “Nor d can Germany and Italy look for aid n from Japan. America will not be frightened by Hitler’s redressing of his s war facade.” Mr J. L. Garvin, writing in “The Observer,” states: “To belittle the ? significance of the new triple alliance " would be the absurdity of ostrichism, " and its mischief for a time may soon become equal to its ambition. It is a )_ challenge to another world war emj bracing all the continents more corn's pletely than the last. Yet, when we look to the end, this grandoise treaty is like the flamboyant prospectus of a new suicide club. “This ‘document of historical importance,’ as Ribbentrop calls it, is as j directly anti-American as it is antiBritish, and at the same time it is covertly anti-Russian. To grip the Soviet empire in a vice as a means of holding it to good behaviour from the Near East to the Far East is a chief object and one transparently veiled.” The new. order referred to in the agreement is, observes Mr Garvin, another name for the old business of despotism, force, conquest and exploitation. DEFENSIVE AIM 3 DECLARED BY JAPANESE SPOKESMAN. SOME PERTINENT QUESTIONS EVADED. T TOKIO, September 30. t . The Foreign Office spokesman, j Mr Suma, said that notwithstanda ing the tripartite agreement Japan ' would make an effort diplomatical- (. ly to settle the Japanese American j questions. He reiterated that the pact was defensive and was not intended to provoke an attack on ( other Powers. Asked if German worships entering , the Pacific would be accorded special ' facilities, he replied that that was not stipulated in the treaty. Mr Suma was asked if a declaration . of war was necessary regarding the mutual assistance clause in the pact ’ He replied that the signatories would decide when “war is involved.” In reply to a question as to whether ’ Japan was making an effort toward a non-aggression agreement with the ) Soviet Union, he answered, “That is too

' delicate a matter, to take up.” SOVIET PRESS INTEREST SHOWN IN AMERICAN COMMENT. MOSCOW, September 29. ' Soviet newspapers give prominence to extracts from the American Press emphasising closer Anglo-American collaboration and enhanced chances of Briitsh victory. THE BURMA ROAD REOPENING ANTICIPATED IN CHINA. CHUNGKING September 30. A belief that Britain will soon reopen the Burma Road to the passage of arms was expressed by Dr Yong Wenhao, Minister of Economic Affairs. He said that Britain must have realised that appeasement cannot change Japan’s hostile attitude, as is proved by the alliance. The leading daily newspaper, the “Takung Pao” says that the latest action of Japan releases Britain from whatever treaty obligations she might have to Japan. SINGAPORE BASE hint of EARLY USE BY U.S.A. WARSHIPS. MEETING THE JAPANESE THREAT. LONDON, September 30. Political commentators and diplomatic circles are of the opinion that Japan blundered when she signed the new pact with Germany and Italy, commiting herself as a -• supporter of and sympathiser with with the desperado aggressor Powers, who have been doing their utmost to divert America’s attention from Europe by creating such a threat in the Far East as Japan’s signature carries. Generally the hope is expressed that the policy of appeasement that has hitherto been adopted toward Japan will be speedily buried. It is recognised, however, that before this can be done much will depend on the intentions and actions of the United States, with which the British Government is working with ever-increasing accord. Authoritative circles in London will not be surprised if very soon decisions are reached in Washington regarding the future use of the Singapore base — decisions which it is believed the American naval command would favour.