NAZIS ANGRY

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21361, 4 March 1941, Page 5

NAZIS ANGRY

GERMANY AND JAPAN MINISTER REPROACHED MEDIATION MESSAGE (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, March 3 The Times says that reports from the highest diplomatic sources in Berlin agree that vehement recriminations have occurred between Japan and Germany. Germany made energetic representations to Tokio after the Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr Matsuoka, sent his recent message to Mr Eden dealing with mediation. Berlin stoutly reproached Mr Matsuoka for a heedles act exposing the Axis plans and impairing the value of the Three Party Pact as a weapon against the democracies. It was asserted that Mr Matsuoka was evidently trying to make Japan a mere passive partner in the Axis by employing every conceivable means to tranquillise the AngloSaxon peoples with the- object of keeping Japan out of the war. Ribbpntrop’s office stigmatised Mr Matsuoka as a cringing faintheart who feared Britain, and also as the victim of a strong Bolshevik psychosis. It alleged that Mr Matsuoka was convinced that if the war did not end soon, the Soviet States would become the sole victors, sealing Japan’s doom. Advice to Germans Mr Matsuoka’s answers to Berlin were more than forceful. He declared that Germany would be well advised not to allow the war to spread too far. He said Germany would profit most from Japanese non-belligerency and that Japan would go no further than that. Any step beyond that would be gravely harmful. Mr Matsuoka concluded by saying that Germany certainly had no cause for satisfaction at the consequence of bringing pressure on Italy to go to war. For his own part he was watching developments with the gravest misgivings. He could not conceive how the war would end victoriously if it were continued on the present lines. THREAT BY JAPAN CARRY WAR TO BURMA BRITISH INTERFERENCE (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, March 3 Reuter reports from Hongkong state that an open threat to carry war into Burma in the event of Chungking troops entering Burma was voiced by a spokesman of the Japanese Formosan army today. The spokesman said that such action would signify actual British interference in the Sino-Japanese conflict. Britain, he added, would be digging her own grave in the event of [ attempting to defend Burma with Chungking troops. Burma would become a battlefield. . The Japanese would trap and crush the combined Anglo-Chinese forces and permanently close the Burma route. AMERICAN FLEET PROSPECTS AGAINST JAPAN NAVAL EXPERTS’ OPINIONS ‘United Press Assn Elec. Tel. Copyrlgnn (Received March 4, 11.55 a.m.) WASHINGTON, March 3 Senator Walsh, chairman of the Naval Committee, told the Senate that naval experts believe that the United States could defeat Japan in American waters, but an engagement in Japanese waters might prove suicidal for the United States Fleet. SUNK IN CONVOY 52 SURVIVORS LANDED (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received March 4, 1 p.m.) FUNCHAL, March 3 Fifty-two survivors from ships sunk in convoy have been landed.