NO RETREAT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 November 1941, Page 5

NO RETREAT

DECLARATION BY GENERAL TOGO ADDRESS TO PROVINCIAL GOVERNORS. NO MENTION OF WASHINGTON NEGOTIATIONS. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) NEW YORK, November 23. General Tojo, addressing 60 provincial governors, said: “There is rio retreat from Japan’s immutable policies.” He added: “Japan is confronting an unprecedented cris’s, but is confident that she will surmount all obstacles, even military, and the civilian authorities are collaborating resolutely.” He did net mention the Washington negotiations. A Tokio message states that Mr Kiwao Okumura, vice-president of the Information Board, in a national broadcast, said: “The Japanese people have no other- choice but to charge forward on their way and if we knock our head against a stone wall we must break through it. History is now sounding a warning note that a serious situation is about to befall us.” Repeating General Tojo’s statement that Japan was now at the crossroads and must rise or fall, he continued: “The Government is grimly determined to breast all difficulties in this effort. It is abandoning secrecy and taking the people into its confidence to win their wholehearted support. It is the duty of the Information Board to let you know what powerful strides General Tojo and the Cabinet are making and to inflame the hearts of the people which are now reaching ignition point so that their patriotism will burst into furious flame and the sacred, everlasting fire which has been burning for the past 2600 years will be kept burning in all its glory.” The New York Times’ Washington correspondent says Japanese-Ame-rican conversations have reached a critical stage. Both sides indicated their willingness to reach a truce in a long-range economic strategic war and both sides made suggestions about the terms on which they were prepared to reach a limited agreement. Because of the delicacy of the situation it is impossible to discuss the terms, but it can be said that both sides are confident that so long as the balance of power remains about the same as it is in Europe there will be no spread of the war to the Pacific. MEETINGS IN WASHINGTON. The United Press’ Washington correspondent says Mr Kurusu and Admiral Nomura held a long conference in the early hours with their aides at the Japanese Embassy following Saturday night’s, meeting with Mr Cordell Hull and later dispatched a lengthy coded cablegram to Tokio. The correspondent states that Mr Hull will meet Admiral Nomura and Mr Kurusu again early in the week. An unconfirmed report is in circulation in Hong Kong to the effect that President Roosevelt has decided to send a special envoy (Mr Laughlin Currie) to Chungking to discuss American mediation in the Chinese-Japanese war and to present peace proposals to Marshal Chiang Kai-Shek. The Associated Press correspondent at Shanghaio states authoritatively that the United States Navy’s Yangtse patrol vessels as well as marines will

probably be withdrawn and taken to Manila.. - ' I ' • The Domei Agency says the Japanese military at Saigon have arrested 90 Chinese in Indo-China on charges of being agents of Marshal Chiang Kaishek.