WIDE ENOUGH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 33, 9 February 1939, Page 7

WIDE ENOUGH

ANTI-COMINTERN PACT THE JAPANESE ATTITUDE QUARRELS OF HER ALLIES [By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright] Received Feb. 8, 5.5 p.m. TOKIO, Feb. 7. The Tokio correspondent of The Times says that Japan is unlikely to welcome proposals for expanding the anti-Comintern Pact into a military alliance. When the pact was concluded Japan declared that she had no intention of becoming involved in Europe’s ideological quarrels and the intention has not been altered by events like the Italian colonial claims which tend to cause a sharp confrontation between the signatories ol the Anti-Comintern Pact and the democracies. An agreement enabling the adherents of the pact to support each other when necessary or opportune suits Japan better than an alliance which would attach her to the chariot wheels of her ideological allies. The hope of restoring good relations with England and America has not been abandoned. Influential circles oppose irrevocable closing of the door to a rapprochement and it is realised that an alliance with the totalitarian States would be poor compensation for the hostility of the naval Powers. Possibly the initiative for strengthening the Anti-Comintern Pact came from Europe but Prince Konoye, in a speech before his resignation from the office of Premier, and the Foreign Minister, Mr. Arita, in his speech on January 21 favoured strengthening the pact. TERRIFIC DAMAGE RAIDS ON LEADING TOWN’S (Independent Cable Service.) SHANGHAI, Feb. 7. The Japanese are continuin ’ their devastating raids on leadin.g towns in the Kwangsi, Kwangtung, and Hunan provinces, which have caused terrific damage and thousands of casualties. Russian pilots took part in the retaliatory Chinese raid on the Japanese airport at Yuchen which resulted in a numbe of Japanese planes being destroyed. CHINESE OFFICIALS KILLED SHANGHAI, Feb. 7. Two Chinese officials belonging to the Japanese-controlled administration, one of whom was a counsellor in the Ministry of Finance, were assassinated in the international settlement to-day. A note pinned on the counsellor's body said: “You are a traitor.”