Indonesians Tightening
p. 10 · Read in the full issue
Their Belts
And Talking Less
LITTLE has been heard about Indo nesia’s clamorous claim to Dutch New Guinea since the “Republicans,” in August, succeeded in wiping out the Federal set-up (and, with it, the last vestiges of Dutch control) and got the whole archipelago by the throat. Appar ently, all the screaming about Dutch New Guinea was merely propaganda to pre pare the way for the “Republicans’ ” coup d’etat.
The president, Soekarno, on March 2. promised that Dutch New Guinea would be returned to Indonesia before January, 1952. Last year, with much noise and war like gesture, he promised the Indonesian people that New Guinea would be theirs before the sun rose on January 1, 1951.
He denied that there was famine in Indonesia, but said the people must tighten their belts.