The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-02-15

Thailand has always been a buffer state in this region of the world, and her position is all the more impor- tant today because, as one of the few remaining independent monar- chies in the world, she stands be- tween British territory in Burma and Malaga (wtih Singapore at its southern tip) and French territory where the Japanese are endeavoring to strengthen their position.
 DISPUTE ENCOURAGED
 BY AXIS
 Germany, 1t is assured, would like nothing more than to see events in East Asia develop in such way as might tempt the Japanese to inter vene actively in the present war. It was with that object in mind that Germany and Italy signed the tri- partite pact with Japan.
 Japan, on her part, has been ac- cused of urging Thailand, Or Indo- China, or both. to refuse opportu- mites for mediation. She may have actively encouraged the Thai de- mands. Japanese planes have been sent to the Thai air force to take the place of those ordered from America several months ago, which were stopped by order of the State Department.
 There have also been Japanese good will missions" to Thailand which may have concerned them selves with the present affair as well as propaganda attempts to encour- age closer relations" between Thai land and Japan.
 THAILAND NOT
 WILLING PAWN
 The quarrel between Thailand and Indo- China arose from the Thai claim for the return of certain ter ritory which the French have held for the past 40 years. No one doubts that the areas in dispute are pre- dominantly Thai in character, and most will even admit that the Thais have reasonably sound claim for their return. Principal objection is the manner which the Thais have adopted in their effort to secure re- dress.
 It is safe to assume that neither French Indo- China nor Thailand was conscious of in any way playing the game which others wished them to play, and quite obviously both parties to the present dispute still sincerely believe that they are de- lending their own legitimate rights and interests.
 The Thais have been suspicious of the Japanese and of Japanese ad- vice They want above all to retain their independence. and Thai states men have been adept in the past at keeping the balance of power in re- gard to the influence of foreign pow CTS in Bangkok. The Thais will never become the willing pawns of the Japanese, and one interpretation of their interpretation of their present demands against Indo-C China is that they fear Japanese expansion in the French colony and want to be in a strong position to deal with any fur ther encroachmments towards the west and south.
 As for the French, they may to some slight extent be influenced by the Japanese, but a greater danger is that in the French colonial cap- ital, which takes it's orders from Vichy, there must often be heard echoes of the voice of Hitler.
 The French Indo-C China govern ment is admittedly in difficult po- sition, and no doubt Admiral De- coux, the governor-general, realizes the influence at work in Vichy.
 So authorities in both countries have indicated their willingness to seek peaceful solution of their df- ference. The difficulty appears to have been finding 8 mediator who could bring together the represent atives of these neighboring states. Now it may be too late.