Evening star., 1942-01-22
Peace Offer by Japs
To China Predicted
Ex-senator George
Georaiun Shores AIorm
Felt by ConnuIIy Over
Far East Situation
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press
Senator George, Democrat, Of
Georgia forecast today the Japanese
would try to effect peace with China
If they succeed in capturing Singa-
pore and penetrating to Rangoon, in
Burma.
Senator George, a member Of the
Foreign Relations Committee, was
nearly as pessimistic about British
prospects in Malaga as Chairman
Connally Of the foreign relations
group, who told press conference
yesterday that he feared Singapore
eventually would fall.
Senator Connally said this would
be a serious military blow to the
United Nations in the fight for con-
troll Of the Far East and Senator
George added that such a disaster
was almost sure to mean that the
Japanese would throw their full
strength against Burma in an effort
to cut of the Burma road, chief
Chinese supply line.
threat 10 ln01d seen.
Senator George said that Burma
would be hard to defend if Singapore
fell. A Japanese conquest of Bur-
ma, he continued, held the threat OF
direct attack on India.
Successful defense of Rangoon,
chief port for the Burma road. prob
ably would lie in the maSsing 0f
Chinese troops there with sufficient
air power furnished by the United
Nations, Senator George declared. \
He said that if the Japanese once
were able to cut of the Burma road
supplies, the Chinese would be In a
dificult position where they might
be much more susceptible to peace
feelers. The japanese then might
say, he pointed out, that they no
longer needed territory in China be-
cause they were on their way to OBJ
tanning all Of the rich lands Of the
Southwestern Pacific.
Tokio's approach to the Chinese,
he went on, might be made on the
basis that they ought to join the
japanese in taking all of Asia for
the Asiatics.
Senator George expressed con-
fdence that the Chinese would
stand fast against any such over
lures, but he added that the pos
sibility of such a move demon
strated the vital need for holding
Singapore and keeping the Burma
road open.
Huge Nazi Losses Reported.
Commenting on recent Russian
successes, Senator George said he
had been informed that the British
believed the Germans had lost T.
o00, 900 men killed or wounded since
the war began, most OF them IN
Russia.
Senator Connally. In his remarks
yesterday, also touched on the Latin
American situation, expressing hope
that Argentina would change her
President unless the latter changed
his mind about breaking on rela-
tions with Axis powers. The State
promptly issued a state
ment here. saying that Senator
Connally was not talking for the
executive branch of the Govern
ment.
Senator Connally was discussing
reports that Acting President Ramon |
S. Castillo Of Argentina had said his |
government would not break on the
relations.
CHowever, . later news dis
patch from Rio de Janeiro. re-
ceived after Senator Connally
spoke, quoted a high source as
saying that Argentina and 20
other American republics meet
ing there had agreed to four
point declaration providing for
severance of relations with the
Axis)
Hulrs Office Issues Statement.
The State Department issued the
following statement:
THE Secretary of State was asked
whether the. questions taken up
in Senator Connally's press con-
ference had been discussed with
the Secretary by the Senator. He
replied that they had not, and
added that members Of the legis-
lative department of the Govern
ment are accustomed to express
their individual views relative to
public questions. Their views and
attitudes 50 expressed, as in the
present case, are, Of course, not
to be construed as representing
the views of the executive branch
of the Government. and they are
not the views Of this Government"
Senator Connally also issued
supplemental statement which said:
I'm my comment today with re-
spect to the Rio De Janeiro Con-
ference I did not purport to ex-
press the sentiments Of any one
other than myself"
Discussing another aspect of world
developments, Senator Connally said