At present, the Netherlands East Indies is professing a policy of maintaining the status quo, but since the Netherlands itself is now under the Protection of Britain, st is not likely that the islands can adopt any foreign policy contrary to the policy of the Anglo-French alliance, The Dutch East Indies is bound to give priority to Britain and France the supply of tin, all, rubber and other vital' munition' materials.
"Labour power, skill and' development materials will also be short in the Dutch East Indies in consequence of supplying munition materials to, the Allies, This must entail a visible decrease in the absolute quantity of production of such nraterials, so that it will not be possible for the Dutch East Indies to maintain its present volume of trade with Japan, or other countries for that matter.
"A Positive Tinge"™
'Moreover, British activities in the East Tndits have of late taken on a positive tinge. For instance, the British Far Eastern air force has been strengthened. Two fying companies which were' to have been stationed in the Punjab, India, and one in the Near East, have been added to the Far Eastern alr force in view of the East Indies issue, There are already In Singapore five flying companies of scouting and fighting planes and 13 companies of bombers and Aight hot to speak of two companies of Waining planes. The aircraft-carrier Eagle is also at Singapore.
"In these circumstances, the British are likely to grow Increasingly positive in their actions in the Nether-ands East Indies until it will Tonger be, possible for Japan to "The newspaper. adds: tion, therefore, on the pa of the Government ' is being ur ged In business clrcles."—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.