Show I Independence dependence Puppet Show T THE THE HE Japs are making much of their grant of independence to the Burmese With much Jan fanfare are are- they proclaimed Burma independent independent inde inde- pendent Sunday announcing simultaneously the meeting of the first national assembly of Burma The Japanese are trying to make capital out of this independence gesture in propaganda broadcasts to all the peoples of Asia picturing themselves as the liberators of the Asiatic races It is a good story but were we're not so sure it will be swallowed whole by the They have had ample opportunity to watch the sort of liberation the Japanese have been dealing out in Asia for years They know how little independence the people of Korea have had or the inhabitants of the island of Formosa or the Chinese in Manchuria Japans Japan's idea of freedom for the peoples people s of conquered or stolen territory is freedom tobe to tobe tobe be slaves of the Japanese The people of Burma Burma Burma Bur Bur- ma for instance can have ha their own government govern govern- ment provided meat provided that government does what wha t Japan tells it to Some day the people of Burma will be in independent in- in dependent pendent as will the peoples of all other othe r Asiatic lands It will come sooner for some than for others depending on their readiness ss H J i for Independence independence on on on their willingness to accept accept accept ac ac- and their ability to fulfill the responsibilities responsibilities of independence And when it comes it will be a real independence and not a puppet show with marionettes on the stage but a Japanese hiding below and pulling the strings |