The Wilmington morning star., 1947-07-21
TROOPS
CONTINUED From Page One)

under the promised Indoneslan
scorched earth policy had been
feared.
No communicate is to be issued
from the headquarters of 1t. Gen.
| Simon H. Spoor until late today
| and there was no confirmation OF
speculation that a Dutch amphl-
bious landing in Western Java
might have been a part OF the
operation, which was started a
day before expiration of a Dutch
ultimatum to the republic.
Among the first Indonesian es-
| Adjustments taken was the Re-
public radio station. Troops also
moved into the cable office. OPP
Grated by a Dutch commercial
firm, and Van Nook announced
that "limited censorship" apply
ing to military operations only
was being imposed. However, all
outgoing messages we're scrutinlz-
ed by Dutch censors.
Many Seizures
The Indonesian establishments
seized were numerous, a since al
most the beginning of the 1ndone-
| sian-Dutch dispute following the
Japanesesurrender in 1915, Bata'
via has been under a dual NUM-
| cipal government and the republic
maintained branches of its min
istries in the city, the largest being
the foreign office and information
office.
Van Mook's announcements were
made at an early morning press
conference in the ornate Neither
lands governor-general's palace.
He said the Republican officials
in Batavia had been handed a note
declaring the Netherlands consid-
cred Itself no longer bound by
either the truce Or the Linggadjati
agreement as a result Of "persis-
tentRepublican truce Violations
These violations, Van Nook said,
included armed activity in the
Dutch controlled outer islands,
demolitions along the demarkation
lines between Republican and
Dutch territory in Java and Suma-
ira and failure to meet the Dutch
eddy at key points where sabotage
Papers To Continue
Van Nook said Republican mu-
nicipal officials. with the excep-
ton of a "few known delinquents,"
would be asked to continue in their
posts as Dutch troops move for
ward into the territory over which
the Republic has had de facto
control since 1915. He said Re
publican newspapers in Batavia
would be permitted to continue
publication.
The beginning of Dutch military
operations came shortly before ex-
piration of the Netherlands ulti-
matum to President Soekarno's
government to end the two-year
stalemate over the future of the
immensely wealthy East Indies.
Republican sources said it was
believed in Jogjakarta that India
was preparing to submit the In
donesian case to the United Ma
tons security council.
The Indonesian forces are es-
timated to number approximately
| 200, 900, or II divisions, lightly
armed. Most If its equipment was
taken from Japanese forces at the
time of their surrender or cap
tured from British forces who at
tempted to re-occupy the Indies,
but succeeded against Republican
opposition only in evacuating the
Japanese and releasing wartime
civilian internees who had been
caught in Republican territory in
1915.
The ~Indonesians have long been
expected, in the event of full scale
hostilities, to use scorched earth
tactics and repeatedly were pre-
pared to blow up factories, tun-
nels, and bridges and employ any
demolition likely to slow a Dutch
advance into the interior of Java
and Sumatra.