ATTACKS ON BRITAIN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 February 1941, Page 5

ATTACKS ON BRITAIN

BY THE JAPANESE PRESS ATTEMPT TO WORK up scare ALLEGED. I STATEMENT BY GOVERNOR OF BURMA. ' By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright I LONDON, February 18. In Japan, while the authorities are trying to smooth over the tension in the Far East, the local Press, which is under German influence, is becoming more aggressive. By contrast with the statement of the Government spokesman that there is no cause for alarm, the Press has launched a series of mild attacks against Britain. It is alleged that Britain worked up the Far East scare, that Britain tried to sabotage the settlement of the Thai-land-Indo-China dispute and that Britain made difficulties in the Japanese trade talks with the Netherlands East Indies. The Governor of Burma In a speech from the throne today, said: "We are not alone. An attack on Burma means an attack on the might of Britain and her allies. Here in Burma we are making considerable progress toward the building up and completion of our fighting strength. THAILAND POLICY DENIAL OF CONCESSIONS TO JAPAN POLICY OF STRICT NEUTRALITY. TOWARDS LARGER WORLD ISSUES. I By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright ( LONDON. February 17. According to a Thai spokesman, whose views represent opinion in Bangkok. Thailand is not only not discussing the question of leasing bases to Japan, but also she would resist to the utmost any Japanese or other effort to use Thai territory for warlike purposes.

The Singapore correspondent of “The Times’’ says the Thailanders realise that they are in certain difficulties as a result of the Japanese mediation in their dispute with Indo-China. but it is authoritatively confirmed that Thailand does not intend to vary her policy of strict neutrality toward larger world issues, and she certainly does not desire to give the Japanese southward advance any assistance, thereby endangering the policy of neutrality, A Bangkok tnessage says that the British Minister in Thailand, Sir Josiah Crosby, in a statement, said that Bntish-Thai relations were most cordial. and any statemen' to the contrary was ridiculous.