Pacific News-Review

Notes And Comment On

International Affairs

From Sep. 18 To Oct. 12

Sept. 18; Growing indications that USA proposes a “soft peace” for Japan are producing angry reactions in Britain and Australia, where almost ceaseless and con tinuing disclosures of “horror” prison camps are arousing a demand that Japan shall remain under punishment *for a couple of decades.

Sept. 18: Nationalisation of the British coal industry may be complete by mid -1946.

Sept, 19: Officially announced that Japanese, in 1943, murdered Nauru Ad ministrator (Colonel Chalmers) and two Government officials, and two Phosphate Co. officials, who voluntarily remained in Nauru in 1942.

Sept. 20: William Joyce (Lord Haw Haw) sentenced to death after London trial for treasonable activities in Ger many during war.

Sept. 20: Indications of split between American Government and General MacArthur, on question of whether Japanese people, in view of mounting evi dence of war crimes, are being treated too kindly.

Sept. 20: There are indications that Emperor Hirohito of Japan is contem plating abdication.

Sept. 22: Deadlock at conference of Big Five Foreign Ministers causes world-wide anxiety. Cleavage is between Russia (who insists that new Red-dominated Govern ments in Roumania, Bulgaria and Hun gary are “democratic” and free) and Britain and America (who say they are not). This is interpreted as the first clear sign of the coming world struggle between Democracy and Red Totalitarianism.

Russia is believed to be trying to make Communist all eastern and central eastern Europe, as well as all northern Asia.

Sept. 23: Widespread demonstrations for independence by natives in Nether lands Indies direct attention to a nationa list movement now sweeping though Indonesia and south-east Asia. India is organising strong independence pressure against the new British Labour Govern ment. There has been fighting in Indo- China between French and natives. Some sections of Burmese have demonstrated against British.

Sept. 26: Anxiety grows in Australia as widespread strikes tend to paralyse in dustry in NSW. The Labour Governments are accused of yielding weakly to anarchy. Communist influences are seen everywhere, fomenting disorder.

Sept. 27: Emperor Hirohito called on General MacArthur in Tokio the first time such a thing has happened in the 2,000 years’ history of the Jap dynasty.

Sept. 29: Revolts by natives continue against French in Indo-China and Dutch in Netherlands India. British troops are going into each Territory to restore order —although a British (Labour) Minister announces that the British will not fight in those countries for either Dutch or French.

Sept. 29: United States, in return for abolition of British Imperial preference, is prepared to lend Britain and Empire six billion dollars, without interest, and scale down her own tariffs.

Sept. 30: With object of tracing and recovering loot taken by Japs from Ter ritories they overran, the American com mand has seized 21 banks in Japan and impounded all their funds, subject to investigation.

Oct. 1: Head of an American Research Foundation claims that a simple defence against the atomic bomb has been dis covered, and placed in custody of USA Government.

Oct. 1: Hindu-Moslem riots continue in Bombay. Thirty have been killed and 152 injured.

Oct 2: Stalin is reported to be critical of western Allies’ “soft” policy towards Japan. He says that if anything is done to allow Germany and Japan to arise again as war-makers, as Germany was allowed to do after World War I, we all shall suffer from our incredible folly.

Oct. 2; More British troops are landing in Indo-China, where 20,000 rebels are said to be massing for an attack on the French.

Oct. 3: Britain’s worst post-war prob lem is rapidly developing in Palestine.

Britain is being pressed by many nations to admit much increased Jewish immi gration to Palestine; but all the Arab countries are exceedingly sensitive on the subject, and Arab Federation threatens reprisals if more Jews on a large scale are admitted to Palestine.

Oct. 3; There again is danger of the Council of Foreign Ministers, now meet ing in London, breaking up without agreement, owing to serious differences of view between the English-speaking nations and Russia.

Oct. 3: An agreement to cease hostili ties has been reached between the French in Indo-China and the Annamites, who are leading the rebellion. The position is deteriorating, however, in the Nether lands Indies, where Indonesians, led by the Japan-created Soekarno Government, are threatening to fight the Dutch Forces, which are on their way to occupy the country. Order is being maintained by small British Forces, who are using the surrendered Japanese for policing pur poses. The rebels have seized Bandoeng and Sourabaya.

Oct. 4: Supreme Commander MacArthur has ordered the Japanese Government forthwith to release all political prisoners from Japan’s gaols. They are believed to number many thousands.

Oct. 5: Despite last-minute efforts, the Big Three failed to agree, and the Foreign Ministers’ Conference has ended.

A gloomy view of future international relations is being taken. The fundamental cause of disagreement is Russia’s deter mination to maintain her own set-up in the Middle European and Balkan (or Border-line) States, without interference, and the Western Allies’ contention that those Governments are neither free nor democratic.

Oct. 6: The Bunnerong power-house dispute in Sydney is unsettled. Both sides remain firm. There now is danger that, from this, there mav develop a nation-wide general strike. Already, Aus tralia is suffering from innumerable small and disconnected strikes.

Oct. 8: Japs and Indonesians are fight ing in several places in Java, and the position is getting worse. The Indone sian rebels are steadily extending their hold.

Oct. 9: First Jap war criminal trial has commenced at Manila, where General Yamashita (the “Tiger of Malaya”) is facing a series of charges.

Oct. 9: Jap Cabinet, which resented the freeing of political prisoners and resigned, has been replaced by another, in which a very old pacifist is Premier.

Oct. 10: Sydney industrial position now critical. The strikers’ representatives have ordered all Unions concerned to withhold coal from Bunnerong power house. Nation-wide strike now seems ■ Oct. 11: Pierre Laval, notorious anti ■’British head of the Vichy Government,

has been sentenced to death by a French Court as a war criminal.

Oct. 11: Disturbances throughout Java are getting worse. Indonesians are mur dering Dutchmen, and have done much damage.

Oct. 12: One of the worst typhoons in history has completely destroyed great American base on Okinawa, near Japan.

Twelve ships are sunk. The damage is estimated at £2,500,000.