Ka Hoku o Hawaii, Volume XXXVI, Number 9, 25 June 1941 — Dutch In East Eye Japanese Chess Board [ARTICLE]

Dutch In East Eye Japanese Chess Board

PEOPLE REALIZE DANGERS AND ARE PREPARED TO STAND FIRM By JOHN M. RALEIGHH BATAVIA, Java—Recent events in the Far East have produced repercussions in the Netherlands East Indies unrivaled since the German invasion of Holland. Previously the Dutch press and general opinion could have been labelled "mild" toward Japan, but since Japanese Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka's startling statement questioning whether the Dutch government in London held full power of administration over the East Indies, a new attitude of determination has become evident. The average Dutchman realizes that danger to the north has not become a thing of the past, though at present the situation appears fairly calm on the surface. "We believe the day is coming and soon—when we will have to defend our birthright here in the Indie," say many prominent Dutchmen throughout the archipelago. Frank Discussion Grows The Dutch and native press, taking their cue from public feelings everywhere, have adopted a rigorous platform of frank expression concerning Japanese policies in China and the mediation conferences held in Tokyo between French Indo-China and Thailand. The Netherlands Indian paper Locomotief commented: "The Netherland Indies holds the same objections to a Japanese drive southward as Britain and the United States. If Japan became Singapore's neighbor through the mediation in progress in Tokyo we should consider this highly dangerous in every sense of the word." Japanese Press Critical Business men from Batavia, who have been ordered home by their concerns have remarked upon how flagrantly the Japanese press derides the Netherlands East Indies. Another situation arousing considerable attention of Dutch visitors to Nlppon has been reports that Tokyo's German Embassy now has a staff of more than 30. Japan's movements everywhere are being closely watched by the Dutch government here, and although most authoritative sources believe that trouble is not as imminent as it was a few weeks ago, few think that the Indies have been

left out of Japanese plans for the future. "We were caught unprepared once," said a high official, "but that will not happen again!" That attitude is reflected in the press here. Where hitherto the Indies have remained quiet, now they have advanced far enough in their preparations for all eventualities to speak up and let neighbors understand that they will tolerate no overt moves to the south.