Island, Says "Washington Star"; Note Only Pretext Washington, Oct. 30.
The "Washington Star" today interpreted Japan's latest protest to France against alleged French aid the Chinese Nationalist Government as a threat to seize Hainan Island, the strategic and rich island off the (Kwangtung Coast.
The Japanese protest, handed to the French Consul-Genefal in Shang-"hai last week, protested against the shipment of arms to China through French Indo-China, Hainan Island is important to France because of its strategic position near French Indo-China. Britain also regards the "island as important because of its position between the British naval bases at Singapore and Hongkong.
The "Washington Star" said the Japanese particularly want Hainan Island because it would serve as an excellent air base from which they could sever the. Yunnan Railway over which. Chinese armis shipped through Indo-China reach Chinese "headquarters in south-west China.
"Japanese possession of Hainan Island would place French Indo-China—an extremely valuable segment of the French Empire—completely at the mercy of the Japanese; "Star" said. "Ultimately Britain and "France are going to be confronted With a demand that Japan's Interest as the economic and political guardian of East Asia requires the surrender of Indo-China and Hongkong to Japan."—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.