Cairo, May 10, \CCURRENCE of demonstrations against the Iraqi Premier, Sayid Rashid Ah Al-Gaclani, in Baghdad on Thursday are confirmed by well-informed Turkish sources here. The demonstrations took the form of street processions.
Manifestations of disapproval were also reported on the same day at Mosul and Kirkuk.
It was officially confirmed this mor ing that Bri ish and Imperial troops have driven the rebel forees from the important aerodrome at Rutbah and that the aerodrome has now been re~ occupied by the Royal Air Force.
Rutbab, about 250 miles west of Baghdad. is a station on the air route to India and also tes on the all pipe-lines which run from northeast Iraq. to Haifa. on the coast of and Iraq levies, captured a large quantity of material, including six serviceable howitzers, a number of other guns and armoured cars.
Enemy aircraft destroyed or put out of action number 25. One of these Elsewhere in Iraq. the military situation appears to be, broadly Hows: Imperial troops. after hav~ riven the Iraqi forces from the outskirts of Habbaniyah, are chasing the rebels towards a point some 25 niles to the east in the direction of Baghdad.
The rebel alr force has been largely destroyed. and the British have cap Japan Will Enter War If U.S. Does New York, May 9.
During an interview with a correspondent of the "New 'York Times," Mr. Yosuke Matsuoka, Japanese Foreign Minister,' rodently defined Japan's position and declared that one of Yhe reasons for Japan's adherence to the Tri~ partite Pact was to prevent the United States from entering the war, But if, in spite of this, the United States participates in the hostilities, Japan will obliged {0 enter the war on her honour, on the side of Germany and Italy, Mr, Matsuoka concluded—Reuter, tured a large quantity of war mater ils and inflicted heavy casualties on the, rebels.
The RAF. Headquarters in the Middle East gives an account of daring exploit by two British airer: which bombed the Basrah-Baghdad railway and machine-gunned armoured train. The pilot of one taaehine, who was seriously wounded the leg. had to make a landing La the desert not far from the armoured train. The other pilot immediately landed. resued the pilot and gunner from the wrecked machine and took just as Iraqi rebels were closing was shot down by an RAP, fighter when it way attempting fo bomb the cantonment at Habbaniyah, Tragi aerodromes were again bombed. "At Sharaban, four afreratt were destroyed by fire and others damaged, and at Hanudi one Savoia, three Breda and cne other aircraft were machine-gunned.
All the British women and children who were in Baghdad when hostilttes began were evacuated to Basra, for India by sea, it is announced. und the great majority have now lett American-built troop-carrying alr-craft of the RAF, wrought a party numbering over 200 south to Basra from Habbaniyah, The pilot of one alretatt said that his plane was shot at by the Ireqis, who were at the time on the escarpment overlooking the aerodrome at Habbantyah, Sayid Hajt Shawkat, the Iraqi Minister of Defence, who arrived in Ankara on Thursday, has had an me terview with the Turkish Prime Minister, M. Saydam, the Foreign Minister, M, Sarajoglu, and the Secretary-Genieral of the Foreign Ministry, M. Menenciogly, according to an Ankara tolegram—Reuter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.