country by British ai be welcomed as a s! vot the position which by the combined acti TI Netherlands he people of the diurdy qualities which they display are per-worthy of their Queen as is of them.
sanified in her, and there is a her and her subjects much ventional loyalty, but of and esteem. There canna doubt that the fifty-one years during Queen Wilhelmina has presided over destinies of her country will
e Netherlands. Of a truth, she h icularly brilliant the description which has been given as the mother of her people, a ruler of whom proud. The shade embroiled with Britain and Russia, for, though the result would have been a foregone conclusion. the propaganda value of being able to tell the German public that Iran was years in which to el fighting on their side, would have been con-people that felicitati siderable. As it is, the Germans in Iran are and them on tomorrow's anniversary. reported to be in a state of panic, and doubt-Sues they will be heading for Turkey just as quickly as transport can carry them. There is a suggestion that the rapid Russian ad-U.S.-Japan Parleys vance may rob them of the opportunity of escaping over the difficult mountain passes into Turkey in which event they will probably enjoy the comforts of an internment connected in camp for the duration. yesterday with Admiral declaration that the gap between the two nations That might very well be better than per-could be bridged. As a consequence. there was mitting them to escape, and carry on their a considerable feeling of optimism and a marked nefarious activities in "Turkey itself, but, easing of tension which the developments of Nhatever occurs, the routing of two thousand the next few days will either justify or prove fifth columnists out of Iran can be nothing but to have bein ill-founded. It is an unfortune' fact that there are be many outstanding differ-a source of very considerable satisfaction. ences between the United States and Japan. It is reported from Berlin that this latest that the conversations might have been about turn of events, which appears to have been almost anything—from the shipments of supplies brought about' by the personal intervention to Soviet Russia to restrictions imi upon of the Shah, has aroused German anger. That in the Far East, The is but natural, for Hitler has been frustrated.
Tt was quite clear that for weeks the Germans had been proceeding leisurely, apparently in the belief that they had the late Iran Government in their pocket and the improb-reports from Tokyo which those who are ability of Britain and Russia seizing the initia-attempting to appraise the situation from this tive in the manner they did. They appear to city might do well to consider. The first is the have been just a little too confident of success complete suppression of any details of the and there cannot be the slightest doubt speech made on August 20 by the Japanese Minister of Finance, which, it is reported. warn-that their complacency has sustained a severe ed the country that there was a grave financial shock, crisis at hand. Another is the frequent repeti-It is considered probable that though the tion of reports that mobilization is now going on new Iran Government is prepared to be more in Japan on an unprecedented scale. A third is amenable. than its predecessor, the occupa-the rumoured preparation of concentration camps tion of the country will continue until it has at different centres. rumours which are almost certainly nonsense and which have probably been completed. In the interest of the Rus-arisen from the fact that camps are being built sian defence of their territory it is essential in some places for the accommodation of refugees that their rear, namely the Caucasus, shall from various parts of the war-torn world. Again. be protected, and the best means of securing there have been reports of dissensions within that is for the union of British and Russian the Japanese Government which are said armies in Iran to stop any possibility of a hinge upon the policy to be immediately pursued. These reports describe one faction as German drive through Turkey. The attitude being convinced that Japan mus press forward of that country remains still somewhat obat whatever cost, while {he other favours caution scute, Pressure is. being brought to bear and a wait and sce attitude until developments at Ankara by the Germans either to secure in other parts of the world make the future certain advantages, such as occupation of more predictable. The latter is undoubtedly the Turkish Black Sea ports, or to prevail upon wiser course for Japan to take, but it is regret-the Turkish Government to abandon its neu-tably true that extremist elements are so well Srality in favour of Germany. Of one thing fortified in high positions that the counsels of moderation may be overwhelmed. The Japan-the Turks may be certain, Neither Britain ese Army is in the saddle. And so long as this nor Russia desire anything but that Turkey is the case, optimism should be tempered by he Shall be able to remain neutral They will knowledge tha' factors which might-count in certainly, not attack Ber, for, obviously, the el other countries in forecasting, the placed lat they better are they D they may be able to support Turkey in her desire to keep out of the war, but it: has to box admitted that the Germans are in such a Japan choose to do so. The points Position in the Balkans that the pressure they Sen bring to bear at Ankara is very consider-of view of the Japanese extremists United States of America—or for that matter, of all the Democracies—appear to be diametri fable. cally opposed. and common ground for agree-One thing is certain. The Allied occupa-men? is hard to find. It shay. however, be ĉon-Yon of Iran unlike the German occupation sidered a hopeful sign that the search for. this of so many small countries does not mean common ground has not been altogether aban-the end of Iranian independence. That both doned. as the conversations in Washington show. Great Britain and Russia have guaranteed Time is an important factor. Let those who now glory in Japanese self-sufficienicy—which her, and neither of those two countries have does not exist—learn from experience that they yet acquired the reputation for lying and are mistaken; let those who believe that the fraud which Hitler has succeeded in building troops of the Island Empire are invincible—up for the Nazis. Further, Britain is doing which they are not—assimilate the lessons of for Iran what Germany will not, or cannot Changkufeng, Nomonhan, and the China Incident do for the countries she has overrun, namely—then there may be a realisation that second providing foodstuffs for a hungry population thoughts are better, and that the straightest forced to go short by reason of the iniquitous road: to prosperity in East Asia is by collaboration with the nations which have adopted as sale of the domestic production of Iran to their objective the eight pom's set forth by the Germans at high prices by the preceding
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.