7 MARCH 1941, Page 2

The Thailand Settlement

Normal political phraseology has no validity on the lips of totalitarians. A New Order means domination A demand for " sincerity " is a demand for subservience. And mediation is a synonym for coercion. The latter fact has been driven well into the perception of the Vichy Government in connexion with the dispute between Thailand and Indo-China, which has now been, apart from details, settled at Tokyo. Japan vt as the self-suggested mediator. Japan has for long aimed at strengthening Thailand and weakening Indo-China. It is not surprising, therefore, that Thailand has succeeded in obtaining, and Indo-China been compelled to relinquish, practically every- thing that Thailand wanted. The most interesting feature of the negotiations was the intervention of Herr Hitler at the critical moment Vichy was disposed to resist demands, backed by the mediator, which it considered inordinate, but German pressure brought Marshal Main and Admiral Darlan to "see reason." The cession of territory goes far beyond what could by any stretch of language be described as mere frontier-rectifi- cation, but the Indo-China negotiators had, of course, no option in the matter. The natural effect of the decision would be to stimulate in Indo-China the trend, already marked, towards tlu de Gaulle movement. But that will no doubt be discouraged by Japan as being a movement towards freedom. And Japan 15 well able to make her counsels effective.