JOINT DEFENCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 December 1941, Page 5

JOINT DEFENCE

OF PACIFIC WEST COAST CANADA & UNITED STATES. PLANS COMPLETED IN DETAIL. LONDON, December 10. According to a Reuter message from Ottawa, it is officially stated by the United States and Canada that plans for the joint defence of the Pacific coast are complete in every detail. The sea, air and land forces of each country will be used wherever they are most useful. Plans to meet any possible invasion attempt have been completed. ENEMY FLYING BOATS LARGE NUMBERS AT MARSHALL ISLANDS. (Received This Day, 9.20 a.m.) WASHINGTON, December 10. A United States naval spokesman said Japanese four-engined flyingboats are believed to be concentrated in large numbers at the Marshall Islands. Their range would not exceed 3,000 miles. NEW AGREEMENT JAPAN & INDO-CHINA. (Received This Day, 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, December 10. The Berlin radio says Japan and Indo-China have signed a new agreement. SWISS LEGATION CARING FOR U.S.A. INTERESTS IN TOKIO. ARGENTINA ACTING FOR BRITAIN (Received This Day, 11.10 a.m.) WASHINGTON, December 10. The Swiss Legation at Tokio has undertaken to care for United States interests in Japan, while the Argentine Embassy will endeavour to protect British interests. RIGHT OF ENTRY TO PORTS IN ARGENTINA. GUARANTEED TO UNITED STATES SHIPS. (Received This Day, 11.10 a.m.) BUENOS AIRES, December 10. Argentina formally declared the United States a non-belilgerent tonight in a decree which permits United States warships- to use Argentina ports without a time limit, but also decreed that Argentina would maintain neutrality towards both Britain and Japan. The Argentina Embassy has taken charge of Australian interests in Tokio. EXCHANGE OF NATIONALS PROPOSED BY UNITED STATES. (Received This Day, 11.0 a.m.) WASHINGTON, December 10. The United States, through a neutral European country, has proposed an exchange of nationals with Japan, says the Tokio radio. The State Department at Washington reported that 470 Japanese firms in South American republics have been black-listed. ENEMY TRANSPORTS HIT BY BRITISH BOMBERS. LANDING TROOPS MOWED DOWN IN MALAYA. 1. (Received This Day, 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, December 10. A Singapore report states that British Hudson bombers scored hits on two transports and a troop barge which landed Japanese forces in North Malaya. The Japanese ships beat a hasty retreat after depositing troops on the beaches. British forces mowed down the Japanese with machine-gun fire and engaged those who penetrated the jungle in hand to hand fighting. SOVIET ATTITUDE MAY NOT GO TO WAR WITH JAPAN. UNLESS HAND IS FORCED. ■* (Received This Day, 11.0 a.m.) LONDON, December 10. Pending an official Soviet statement, well-informed circles declare that there is no evidence to justify an expectation that Russia will abandon her policy of neutrality with Japan, based on the Russian-Japanese pact, says the British United Press Kuibyshev correspondent. Radio stations and newspapers in Russia continue to report the Pacific war objectively, without comment. M. Lozovsky has cancelled Press conferences on the ground of ill-health. Foreign observers have no doubt as to where Russian sympathies lie, but it is considered that the war is being decided on the Russian front and that the Soviet forces are bearing the main burden. The Soviet Government, it is believed, sees no advantage in becoming involved in war with Japan unless Russia’s hand is forced.