Evening star., 1942-04-24
Third Of a serses.)
BY GEORGE WELLER,
Toresxn CORRESPONDENT Of The Star
- r~s~.~~ xs~nx 49,.


ard chicsse Daily News.
SOMEWHERE IN AUSTRALIA,
April 24s-After landing according
20 Gov. Manuel Debreu Ferreira de
Carvaff1ois request. miles west OF
the Portuguese Tinor town of Dill,
the Dutch and Australian forces,
asRregating about $50 men, entered
the town itself about I o'clock. On
meeting the Dutch commander. 1t.
Col. Nico w. Straten. the Governors
first remark was ircredulous:
Then you have really landed"
The town was occupied before the
fall OF darkness because II was
necessary to round up all Jsps as
quickly as possible. A sardonic CON-
mentary on Jap activities is fur
niGhed by their statistical distrinu-
ton,
While the United States lacked
even o consulate In this vital area
and the British had consulate with
two nen-Consul Ross and Assist
ant Clerk Whitaker, who arranged
airline bookings on the 0uantas
route between Singapore and Aus
traiia--the Japs had no fewer than
10 men on their consular stan alone.
Two were married and gave large
parties at Fhich Portuguese admin
istrators and army ofiicers were fire.
euent guests.
Only One Of laps Escaped.
Portuguese ofncial presence ut
Japanese parties does not necessar-
lily indicate complaisance with jap
anese military ambitions. but 1t sil-
houettes more sharply the fact that
the Dutch and British gave little
attention to such affairs and the
United States---the power now most
greatly concerned---was without any
representative whatsoever.
Only one OF the 2s Japanese es-
capped into the hills. Even the six
members Of the crew Of the Jap
aviation tanker Nanyu Maru were
captured. In the Jap consulate was
found 5000 patacas. Timor cur
rency ID peculiar In having Mexican
silver pesos and Chinese gold avos.
or "centavos."
One pataca Is worth approxi-
mately 90 cents American. Thus
the amount found in the Jap con-
sulate stan (l5.0oo patacas, was the
equivalent to about 5000 American.
The occupying ofiicers commented
that the sum was large for reserves
in m island where cash is rare
and living costs low.
Two Germans also were interned.
One was the household manager
for the American Investigation
Co.. a penurioua metallurgical firm
with Eastern headquarters In Ma
Mia. Dutch of1icers occupied this
company's big villa, which consisted
Of three houses surrounding q gar
den with a laboratory containing
mining tools and investigation ap-
paratus.
Retained Radio Contrel.
The Portuguese retained full con-
troll Of radio communications and
were allowed to communicate with
Lisbon in cipher without interfer-
ence by the occupying authorities.
Although the Dill capital and port)
radio station was supposed to be
closed down at 10 O'Clock at night,
Dutch patrols twice found the dyna-
mos in action at O'Clock in the
morning. Two Japanese women
were allowed to leavesthe internee's
houses to purchase food and sup
plies.
Eight hundred Portuguese, COM
prising the garrison, with their Of
ficers, withdrew to the village Of
Ailieu, 90 miles south of Dill. Only
the barefoot native police remained
to keep order. Bearing Mauser rifies
and bayonets, they wore round, black
velvet hats, known as kopeia. and
khaki shirts and shorts. Besides
controlling communications, the
Portuguese kept armed guards at
the governmental gasoline dump
and municipal water works.
About December Is, 400 more
Dutch native troops arrived from
Java via Koepang capital of Dutch
Timor), including one company OF
Menadonese from Malang.
Gov. De Carvalho gave the official
lead to the population by this public
statement. ''our policy is non
co-operation." The Dill population