Evening star., 1941-08-07
Friendly Relations
With ThaiIand Goal, f,
japanese Assert
Statements by Hull and
Eden Are Declared
Unwurrunted
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
TOXIC, Aug. Japan wants to
maintain friendly relations With
Thailand and considers unwar-
ranted yesterdays statements by
Secretary of State Hull and British
Foreign Secretary Eden of concern
over her intentions, the japanese
Board of Information said today.
ISecretary Hull said Japan's
intentions toward Thailand were
of increasing concern to the
United States and Mr.. Eden
warned Japanese move into
Thailand would bring about "a
most serious situation between
Great Britain and Japan.)
The board charged that reports
in United States and British news
papers indicating Japan was threat
ening Thailand tended Ito worSen
the feeling of the Japanese toward
Britain and the United States"
1t declared at the same time that
press dispatches from the Far East
reported British forces in Malaga
may occupy 11dl OdSeS.
Has No Designs, Paper Says.
The Japan Times and Advertiser,
controlled by the foreign Office, said
the British were accusing Japan of
aggressive intentions toward Thai
land to mask their own plans.
Japan has no designs on Thai
land" the paper said. 1T is on
good terms with that state BY
raising the bogey of Japan, Britain
really is camout1aging its plan to
take aggressive action for strength
ening Singapore through advance
bases at the expense of Thailands
independence"
Gt. Gen. A. E. Percival said at
Singapore yesterday that form
idable reinforcements for the
British Gibraltar of the East
will continue to come as long as
the threat to Malaga remains"
Occupation of French Indo-
China by the Japanese recently
put Singapore within reach of
shore-ba bombing planes,
Gen. Percival said, land the Jap
aneSe are in a position to deliver
surprise attack" He said a
japanese move into Thailand
would increase the possibility of
such an attack
Informed sources here indicated
today there was little doubt Japan
would weigh carefully any further
action in Southeastern Asia now
that so much attention has been
focused on that area.
cat Bangkok, Thai capital, Mai
Vanich Pananonda, Commerce
Department director general. said
his country was ready to do busi-
ness with any nation, but con-
templated no special treatment
for any power. This was in COM
ment on the recently-accorded
credit of 100000 bahts to Japan
for trade.
Japan already is buying large
quantities of tin, rice and rubber,
he said, and it was improbable
the japanese would demand in
creased supplies of these COM
modities At any rate, Japan has
not approached Thailand for
preferential trade agreement, he
declared)
Reports of Russian military move
ments in Siberia appeared to con-
Germ the japanese more than de-
velopments in the southeast. One
newspaper estimated Russian forces
in Eastern Siberia at 800 900 soldiers.
Subs Reported Concentrated.
There were rumors, too. that 80
submarines and many bombers were
concentrated at the big Siberian
port, Vladivostok.
A navy spokesman, writing in the
Foreign Office supported diplomatic
review, said yesterday in summing
up Japan's position:
With the United States aiding
Chungking and England and chal-
lenging the attitude of our alliance
partner Germany, Japan cannot
continue to keep quiet. -
I'm fact, considering movements
of the United States and Britain in
China, we may consider Japan to
be but a step from entering the
,,,1l,nouo1o ~