The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-10-22
Diplomacy of Axis Has
Once More Changed


business and may wind up at Ankara
20 talk with the Turks.
Despite this whirlwind Of British
diplomatic effort, Balkan capitals
saw little prospect that the British
could undo the work Of the Axis In
bringing most of that region under
the sway of Germany and Italy.
The London Times, urging a real
astic attitude toward the problems
OF the Near East, suggested that If
It appeared that the Axis was going
into Greece, Britain should waste
no time In occupying such vital bases
es Crete and other Greek islands.
The war in the air continued its
destructive course. London revealed
that the ancient temple, repository
OF 600 years of English tradition and
hallowed by such names as Shakes
peare, Goldsmith, Samuel Johnson,
Blackstone, Thacheray and Charles
Lamb was now a pile Of pinkish brick
and rubble-one more on the list Of
historic places damaged b ythe Ger
man air offensive.
Air War Not Heavy
The offensive was Of only moder-
ate intensity during the night and
morning hours. British fighters
turned back daylight raids. Their
ranks were said to be reinforced by
new squadrons, some equipped with
new American warplanes. The mid
lands, Mersey and Liverpool got
harder raids than London during the
night, 1t appeared.
The British smashed back on
wide scale. Their bombers and long
range guns harassed the invasion
coast and smashed at German naval
docks In Hamburg and at detectives
in Reisholz, Dusseldorf, Stade,
Gravelines and Boulogne.
italian torpedo boats attacked a
British convoy in the Red Sea. They
claimed they sank six merchant ships
and that italian coastal guns, pre-
sumably on the coast of Eritrea or
Somaliland, damaged British g.
600 ton cruiser.
In the Far East the Chinese
claimed to have taken the often
sive against the japanese on an
intermittent front of 1900 miles.
Singapore reported without confir-
nation that the Japanese had CIV
en- the Dutch East Indies a memoir
andum saying that they were not
considered part of the new order
in East Asia. Status of the Dutch
Japanese oil negotiations was un-
certain. Tokyo said they were 60
ing along. Batavia said demands
that the Dutch cancel other oil
contracts in order to increase sup
plies to Japan, had been rejected.
The Burma road was bombed
again and Tokyo talked OF setting
up permanent commissions to facili-
tate military and economic relations
Of the Berlin Rome Tokyo partners.
Efforts to remove American and
British residents from the Far East
continued.
Japan Turned Down
Batavia, Netherlands East Indies,
Oct. 22.-(UP)-JapaneSe demands
that Netherlands East Indies oil
contracts be annuled in her favor,
have been rejected, 1t was under
stood today, with the result that
she was unlikely to get any consid--
cradle quantity of Netherlands oil
unless the basis Of negotiations was
changed drastically.
i The only material progress the
Japanese have made in their nego-
tiations here to get an agreement
for oil products as are available af-
ter fulfillment Of existing contracts,
1t was understood.
(Great Britain has contracted for
all available high octane gasoline,
used for airplanes.)
Sales to Japan, on the basis OF
present negotiations, would be on
strictly commercial basis, with no
forced shifting from current mar
kets and contracts, informants said,
They reported that the Japanese
delegates had so far accepted this
as the basis for discussion, and ne
gotiations were continuing.
It was indicated that on the basis
Of present production Japan would
be unlikely to get any considerable
amount Of aviation gasoline.
Italian Difficulties
London, Oct. 22.-(UP)-Italian
forces which a month ago invaded
Egypt and failed to advance since
beyond Sidi Barrani, only rs miles
from the Libyan frontier, have en-
countered serious difficulties, we'll
informed London quarters said to-
day.
Marshal Rodolfo Graziani's in
vasion forces have been forced tC
delay large-scale operations, the
British said, because Of the &C.
tivity Of British bombers and the
general topography Of Egypt's wes-
tern desert.
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