FIRST-CLASS MYSTERY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 September 1941, Page 5

FIRST-CLASS MYSTERY

CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN JAPAN AND AMERICA SOME HOPES OF PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT. PAPERS MAINTAIN OPTIMISTIC TONE. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) NEW YORK. September 11. Whether America and Japan are likely to settle their differences by peaceful agreement has become a firstclass mystery. Many of the American papers yesterday confidently predicted an almost immediate settlement. Generalissimo Chiang -Kai-shek, in an exclusive interview in Chungking with the United Press of America, said he "hopes and believes that while China is continuing the fight against Japan the United States and other friendly countries will intensify their economic pressure upon the Japanese or. al least, not relax it. Ho pledged the Government and people of China to keep on the "war of resistance against Japan to the bitter end.” The Generalissimo implied that American economic sanctions against Japan might be a decisive factor. "This programme," he said, "should be and, I trust, is a bond of understanding which binds all the nations which are interested in Pacific affairs and which are committed to a general policy of opposition to aggression." He said he was confident that all friendly nations would not allow themselves again to be lulled into a false sense of security by Japan, the national policy of which consisted of alternative shows of conciliation and of open intimidation. The State Secretary, Mr Hull, today said he had no reason to believe that there would be any announcement in the near future concerning the diplomatic conversations between the two Governments in the past fortnight, beyond the simple statement that the conversations were continuing. Refusing to accept this statement, the "New York Times" says that the conversations with Japan are proceeding favourably and possibly they will lead to an announcement shortly. The Tokio correspondent of the same newspaper reports that long and delicate negotiations will be inevitable., but that "hope is reviving.” Japanese business men and politicians, he says, no longer think that their situation is desperate. The Press there is saying that Japan expects a long European war and nobody desires to plunge Japan into it. BRITAIN’S POLICY NO TRADE WITH JAPAN AT PRESENT. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 10. In the House of Commons today the Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Warfare, Mr Dingle Foot, stated that at the present time no trade was taking place between Britain and Japan. • In Singapore, when taking a favourable view'of the need for a member of the British Cabinet being stationed permanently in the Far East, Mr Duff Cooper said that appointment could be made only with the approval of the Australian and New Zealand Governments. The Japanese-owned “Herald.” in an editorial, suggests that 1 if a Minister were appointed he should be an Australian. Such an appointment would be extremely popular in Malaya, as Australia was nearer than Britain and more closely concerned with the security of Malaya and also with its trade and cultural relations. ]