Evening star., 1941-07-30
Dutch Body Blow

In the campaign of economic pres
sure now being waged against Jap
anese aggression, the heaviest blow
to date has been struck, not by
America or Britain, but by their
doughty associate, the Netherlands.
This happened when the Batavia
government suspended its trade
treaty with Japan under which Toxic
was assured of 100000 tons of oil
per year.
That treaty, negotiated only last
year, tripled the previous average
amount of oil going to Japan from
the Netherlands Indies, and was
enough to fuel Japan's fleet and
much of its army. 1t was the only
nearby major source on which Toxic
could count. Japan gets barely
IL per cent of its oil from its own
empire, including oil received under
agreement from Russian wells on
northern Sakhalin Island. 1t can
get no more anywhere in the Far
East. Most of its oil imports have
come from the United States. These
are now subject to our Governments
discretion. And it is unlikely that
Japan can get any appreciable
quantities from Latin America. ia
pan henceforth can count only upon
the. oil reserves it has been building
up. These are supposed to be enough
for years normal consumption.
But, with possible war in the offing,
that is a slender margin. And oil
exhaustion would spell both naval
and military paralysis.
Batavia's action is significant, not
merely for its economic Importance
but even more for its political and
strategic implications. Japan has
clearly intimated on many occasions
that oil from the Dutch Indies was
vital national interest and that if
it were cut off the only alternative
would be to seize it by force. This
spring, Toxic launched an intensive
pressure campaign to force Batavia
to grant enlarged concessions, and
made dark threats when rebuffed by
the reSolute Dutch authorities. Now,
as result of its Indo-China aggres-
sion which brings japanese bombers
within range of Batavia itself, Toxic
Is faced with the loss of all Dutch
oil, since Batavia can at moments
notice cut shipments to zero. This
is certainly calling Japan's diplo-
matte hand in no uncertain way.
1t may be doubted whether the
Batavia government would have
taken so defiant position unless it
anticipated adequate support by
both Britain and America in case
Toxic carries out its past threats
and grabs for Dutch oil. The Batavia
press assures it's readers that this is
the case, and public opinion in the
Dutch Indies is calmly prepared to
face up to Japan, be the conse-
WlldI Illcy Hldy.
Japans dilemma is serious one.
Temporary seizure of the Dutch
Borneo oil fields would probably not
be difficult operation, but the
Dutch are prepared to destroy both
the existing wells and the refinerieS
there, so Japan could not get even
crude oil for months. Furthermore,
the Borneo wells have declined so
rapidly in recent years that most of
and richer fields in Sumatra. But
those fields are not only at the CEN
ter of Dutch power in the Neither.
lands Indies, they are also near
Singapore, Britain's great base in
the Far East. Thus, combined Anglo
Dutch resistance to japanese at
tack would be at maximum. In
deed, the japanese could not occupy
the Sumatra oil fields until both
Dutch and British resistance had
been broken 1t is exceedingly
doubtful if Japan today is in posi-
ton to send an adequate expedi-
tionary force to Sumatra, even if
American aid to the Dutch should
not materialize Immediately.
What Japan will do in answer to
Batavia's action is not known. But
that action certainly has defined
the issue. If Toxic has been bluffing,
the bluff has not worked