Washington. June 4.
An interesting - booklet called "Japan's Economy Under War Strain" was published here yesterday by Mr. T. Y. Hu under the imprint of the China' Council for Economic Research, in which, basing his calculation on Japanese figures, Mr. Hu estimates that by the fourth anniversary of the war it wil have cost Japan U.S. $4000000000 or the equivalent of the entire national income of Japan in 1936.
Mr. Hu draws his figures from official, Japanese documents and Japanese newspapers. He says that more than 2,000,000 men have been taken into the Japanese army since the war began, and that Japanese wartime industries demand 1,500,000 more workers now than in 1936, both these Grains on manpower having seriously sffected forb work.
Using the same index figure for wholesale prices in 1987, he shows that it rose to over 132 in 1940, while retail prices reached 153 in 1940 compared with 100 in 1997. and wages, figured on buying power. sank from 100 in 1937 to 91 in 1940.
Mr. Hu concludes that if the United States and Britain place an bargo on all raw materials going to Japan and stop buying her silk. she cannot but collapse—Reuter.
General É. Ott, the German bassador in Tokyo, immediately rushed to the Foreign Office to tell Mr. Y. Matsuoka in mo uncertain terms of what Hitler expects of him. Next day, Mr. Matsuoka accordingly issued a statement repudiating "reports current abroad that Japan has become indifferent to the tripartite pact." and asserting that "it-is impossible to imagine that Japan should fail in the slightest degree faithfully to carry out her obligations under the pact."
Good Opportunity Meanwhile, the Dutch Bast Indies Government's steady refusal to yield to Japanese demands has angered the Japanese Government and affords the pro-Axis party a good opportunity to demonstrate Japan's loyalty to the Axis and obtain something substantial for herself.
At the close of last week. the yanese Government formally called upon the Dutch East Indies to reconsider their attitude which it described as "insincere", The Japanese press also stated that Britain had been requested "not to put obstacles in the way" of an agreement with the Dutch East Indies.
Negotiations between Japan and the Dutch Hast Indies have been dragging on since October, and except for some additional supplies of oil. Japan has got nothing. The Dutch East Indies attitude has been perfectly steady and consistent. They are quite ready to trade with Japan or. good neighbour ly lines, but they are adamant in insisting on guarantees that nothing they send to Japan shall go to Germany or replace other supplies in Japan which might go to Germany. And they are equally firm in rejecting Japanese demands for concessions largely of a political character.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.