"Although the situation' is grave 1 sce nothitig that need alarm or even seriously disturb a resolute people."
This statement was made in a broad cost by the Attorney-General and Navy Minister, Mr. W. M. Hughes. last night.
Mr. Hughes said a joint statement! by the Acting Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader last week seriously disturbed the Australian people, and. may even have made them a little nervy. "This will pass," he added, another address Sir Frederick Stewart, Minister for External At-fairs, said "we should be deluding ourselves if. we failed to appreciate the realities of the present position." from Washington. describing " State Department conferences on Satur= day with British, Australian and Dutch envoys.
'Newspapers' however, for the most part refrained from comment~ ing on the trend of developments, the strongest public gennouncement of which was Mr, Gordell Hull's Gisclosure that, the Netherlands East Indies would "ght aggression, Mfr. Hull made the statement) following a conference with Dr. A London, Dutch Minister to Washing ton.
Describing Washington develop. ments, a headline in the "Yomiuri" said "Joint Anti-Japan_ Mancuvres Discussed, Centered N.EJ, Ques tlon."—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.