U.S.A. & JAPAN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 November 1941, Page 5

U.S.A. & JAPAN

TIME TO STAND FIRM DECLARATION BY COLONEL KNOX. CALL FOR INSTANT READINESS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON. November 11. “The United States has been long suffering and patient toward Japan, but the time has come to stand firm. To go further would mean that our liberality and forbearance would be misunderstood,” declared the Secretary of the Navy. Colonel Knox, during a. speech on the occasion of the dedication of a new naval air base at Providence, Rhode Island.

“Our people must understand that grave questions are about to be decided,” he said: "It is impossible to over-emphasise or exaggerate the grave dangers now facing the nation. In the Atlantic there is the necessity for extreme measures of self-defence, while the far Pacific poses grim possibilities. The only thing we can be sure of is that, the Pacific, no less than the Atlantic, calls for instant readiness.” A special meeting of the Japanese Cabinet has been called for Thursday afternoon. Tokio reports say it will discuss the military Budget. Meanwhile the Japanese army is preparing for three days’ manoeuvres in Formosa, commencing on Friday. The Nanking correspondent of the Tokio “Yomiuri Shimbun” states that the United States and Chungking are collaborating in the defence of the Burma Road, where 200 American military trucks and 30 combat planes, which arrived in Rangoon in the middle of October, are already functioning. The correspondent adds that Chungking has gained Tibet’s participation in the construction of the Szech-wan-Sikang-Tibet-Indian supply route. The Kalgan correspondent of the Tokio “Nichi Nichi Shimbun" reports that Russia is strengthening the Red Army in outer Mongolia.

BRITISH BATTLESHIPS MAY BE DECISIVE FACTOR. MR DUFF COOPER’S VIEW. ' LONDON. November 12. Mr A. Duff Cooper, British envoy, speaking in Melbourne today, said he hoped the war clouds threatening the Pacific would be swept away because cf Britain’s preparedness. The battleships of which the British Prime Minister had spoken might be a decisive factor in the Pacific. BLUSTERING TALK BY JAPANESE NEWSPAPER. (Received This Day. 9.15 a.m.) TOKIO, November 12. The “Tokio Ahasi Shimbun,” commenting of Mr Churchill’s speech, said: “We know a Japanese-American war would naturally be a Japanese-British-American war and we are prepared. Whether it would be a hazardous adventure for the Japanese to plunge into the world struggle is none of Britain’s business. That will be judged independently by Japan.” UNLIKELY TO MEET PRESIDENT AND MR. KURUSU. MR ROOSEVELT LEAVING FOR WARM SPRINGS. (Received This Day, 9.15 a.m.) NEW YORK, November 12. The “New York Times” Washington correspondent says the likelihood 'of any direct conferences between President Roosevelt and the Japanese envoy, Mi’ Kurusu, has receded, as President Roosevelt has maintained his tentative plans to leave for Warm Springs before Sunday and Mr Kurusu has been delayed a second day at Midway Island. This is regarded as significant and possibly as indicating that the President has little hope that the Japanese attitude has changed.