SHOWDOWN IN JAVA
SEELY, Lt. Comdr. C. S.
Showdown In Java By LT. COMDR. C. S. SEELY THE revolt of the Javanese against the Dutch should have the support of all liberty-loving people everywhere, for of all the colored races now under...
...Dutch control of Java cannot be justified on any grounds that have a shred of decency...
...THE Javanese to a man are entirely opposed to the Dutch in their country...
...The Javanese are given no consideration whatever...
...We must see to it that we give no aid or comfort to the Dutch military forces in Java...
...Oppressed peoples all over the world are now watching our attitude toward the struggle for freedom in Java, and should we help the Dutch exploiters, our claim as a champion of freedom loving peoples will be weakened greatly...
...There are practically no rich Javanese...
...This is far different from the situation in India, where practically all the rich Indians—especially the some 600 fabulously rich princes and the rich religious leaders —desire the British to remain so as to maintain a "stable" social and economic system...
...They have for many generations been held in submission by force of arms, and have never been given the least Of the rights of man...
...Attlee is on dangerous political ground in siding with the Dutch, and unless he changes his position he may split his party...
...None of our Lend-Lease materials should be used to "put down" the uprisings there...
...In aiding the Dutch in Java I do not believe the Attlee Labor Government has the support of any considerable portion of the British masses...
...The Dutch have long since taken over all the wealth to themselves...
...C. S. SEELY THE revolt of the Javanese against the Dutch should have the support of all liberty-loving people everywhere, for of all the colored races now under white domination, they probably have the best claim for freedom...
...I have been over much of Java, India and Burma, and I feel fully convinced that Dutch rule in Java has for long been very much more harsh and cruel than British rule in her colonies...
...WE must realize that the Javanese patriots are now trying to free their country and its people after generations of involuntary servitude, and act as we desired other nations to act during our Revolution...
...The opinions and assertions expressed above are the private ones of the writer and are not to be construed as official or reflecting the views of the Navy Department or the naval service at large...
...The Dutch are there for only one purpose: to exploit the labor and the raw materials of Java—for the sole benefit of themselves...
Vol. 9 • October 1945 • No. 43
