1941-07-24 — Page 1

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CHINA MAIL

FIRST NEWSPAPER IN THE FAR EAST ESTABLISHED 1845.

No. 33,007

THURSDAY, JULY 24, 1941

Price: 10 Cts.

FIRST ED

INSIST ON

Daisy Brand

Australia's Choicest

BUTTER

GATHERING SIGNS OF CRISIS Mobilisation Orders In Japan

Capitulation By WARNING Vichy Expected BY COL.

CRYPTIC

PETAIN SPEECH

"We shall again per- haps have to defend our colonies," said Marshal Petain addressing stud- ents at Aix-en-Provence | Military Academy yester- day.

"IF ANY NEW ADVENTURES SHOULD EVER BE UNDER- TAKEN I HOPE WE SHALL FACE THEM WITH THE SAME ENERGY AND VIGOUR AS WAS SHOWN IN SYRIA.

"We are obliged to protect our] colonies and the whole of our! Colonial Empire on which our neighbours have their eyes.

"We must be able to defend it, and we must be ready for ali eventualities." Reuter.

THAILAND POLICY

IN VIEW OF THE PRESENT TENSION IN THE FAR EAST, IN WHICH JAPANESE INTEN- TIONS REGARDING INDO- CHINA AND THAILAND ARE THE SUBJECT OF KEEN

JAPAN'S ULTIMATUM DEMANDING MILITARY OCCUPATION OF ALL INDO-CHINA AND THE USE OF CAMRANH BAY AS A JAPANESE NAVAL BASE HAS SWIFTLY SWITCHED THE FOCAL- POINT OF INTERNATIONAL INTEREST FROM THE RUSSIAN BAT- TLEFIELDS TO THE FAR EAST.

Sense of gathering crisis increased this morning with a flood of messages from all quarters indicating that a forcible warning has been given to the Japanese Ambassador in Washington, and that mobilisation in Japan is proceeding to its maximum scale.

FRENCH SHIPPING

Next development cannot be predicted, despite reports that Japan will "move against Indo-China" to-morrow. There are reports that Vichy is resist- ing the Japanese demands, but there are also indi- FORBIDDEN TO LEAVE cations that the ground is being prepared for capi-

tulation under duress.

INDO-CHINA

According to travel- lers arriving in Singa- pore yesterday all French merchant

has shipping

been forbidden in the last four or five days to leave Indo-China har- bours. They added

no reason was given.

-Reuter.

· WORLDWIDE SPECULATION, SPECIAL IMPORTANCE AT- TACHES TO THE LATEST PRO-100 NOUNCEMENT ON FOREIGN

POLICY OF THE THAI PRE- "MINISTER FOR THE MIER LUANG PIBUL SONG- GRAM.

Bidding farewell to the official

GERMAN EAST”

Thai delegation proceeding to Alfred Rosenberg, Nazi special- Battambong to take over Indo- ist on Eastern questions, has been China territory ceded under the chosen "Minister for the German Tokyo Treaty, the Premier strong- East," according to an unconfirm- ly emphasised Thailand

the Berlin cor- would ed report from continue to adhere to strict neu- respondent of the Zurich news- trality-Reuter.

Reuter. paper "Die Tat."

SIGNS OF TENSION

JAPAN

IN

SIGNS OF GROWING tension in the Far East were reported yesterday in

in a Shanghai despatch to the official Vichy news agency. This says it was learned yesterday that foreigners who recently arrived at Nagasaki to spend a holiday in Japan were not allowed to go to a certain summer resort on the coast.

· All Japanese shipping compan-| fes, the despatch says, announced yesterday morning that because of the present situation", they would stop, indicating the move ments of their ships.:

No authoritative indication is forthcoming of the course of action likely to be pursued by Britain and the United States in the event of French accept- ance of Japan's demands, but that close contact is being maintained between the two governments is officially announced.

The Franco-Japanese talks were the subject of a semi-official an- nouncement made in Vichy last night but it contains no reference

Preparing Indo-China

A.R.I.P., the official

to a Japanese ultimatum to Indo-Indo-China” Government |

China.

The announcement says: "The

conversations begun in two re cent visits paid to Admiral Dar jan by the Japanese Ambas- sador, Mr. Somatau Kato, are

continuing by an intermediary of the Japanese diplomatic re- presentation at Vichy.

"At the same time, Admiral Decoux, Governor-General of Indo-China, has several times re- ceived Major-General Sumita, head of the Japanese mission.

"There Interchanges of view the taking place within framework of the agreements year ago between

arc

concluded a

France and Japan.”

The press of unoccupied France

so far has remained silent on the question.

Call-Up In Japan ·

The Japanese are carry- ing out military mobilisa- ́tion on a scale never seen before, according to re- ports reaching “Shanghai to-day.

Thousands of conscripts pre- viously classified as unfit for active service have been mobilised, it is stated, while many who had been discharged better cervice in China have again

| calléd up..

A Members of the Japanese community In "Shanghal. have also been called up and ïare, leaving for: Japan, y Reports received in Chungking 'state that three classes of reser- the" "Manchukuo port of Dalren vists have already been mobilised could only take, small suitcases in Japan while motor vehicles are with thomas pene WAR

being requisitioned. Reason was to save space and make it possible to cope with the

considerable Increase

TO ONE WRE: MOVE INDO-

Another Announcement stated number of travellers goiny Pon-NatVANS WILL

that travellers from Tokyo to Manchukuo."Reuter.

ÄGAINST AFRENCH. CHINA ON FRIDAY..

news

|

KNOX

There is "no question" but that recent develon- in the Far East, ments including the Japanese censorship, meant new military developments in that area, said Col. Frank Knox, U.S.. Navy Secre tary, at a press conference in Washington yesterday.

"I LOOK FOR MOVEMENT OUT THERE AND VERY SOON," SAID COL. KNOX, BUT HE DECLINED TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBLE DIRECTION OF THE MOVE.

"None can tell at this point whether it will go north or south," he said.

In reply to a question Col. Knox said the United States Pacific Ficet was in a position to do whatever was necessary to carry out American policy in the Far East.--Reuter.

:

U.S. NAVAL SHORE FACILITIES

agency, yesterday quotes Paris newspapers advising the French Gov-tional naval shore facilities pass- The $224,000,000 Bill for addi-: ernment to “take precau-ed the House of Representatives tions in view of the dan-yesterday and has been sent to the Senate, says Reuter from Wash- (Continued on Page 18) ington.

"

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