"Japan's bluff has been called." says the Straits Times. adding that "a complete show-down cannot long be delayed.
"Japan cannot continue to exist under the present economic pressure. She can only secure a relaxation of; that ^ressure by abandoning her e: pensionist programme. The one alternative left to her is to take ection which will bring war to the Pacific.....8 War in which the odds will be overwhelmingly against her.
"That is the absolute limit of the power of h evil. She cannot win Such a war; she cannot secure domination of the Pacific. If she does decide on this suicidal course—we still cannot believe she will will be at the behest of a handful of militarists who are drunk with the lust for power."
The paper concludes by stressing th since this last possibility "does ist to so degree, it is simple prudence that we should place ourselves in the highest state of pre-poredness."—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.