JAPAN'S CASE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 51, 9 December 1932, Page 5

JAPAN'S CASE

READY TO BE CRUCIFIED. REMARKABLE SPEECH TO THE LEAGUE. NO VOTE ON CENSURE MOTION. United Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 1.10 p.m.) GENEVA, December 8. At the afternoon session of the League of Nations Assembly, Mr Matsuoka concluded the Jnpnese case in connection with Manchuria. In a remarkable extempore address he compared Japan to Jesus of Nazareth, declaring that Japan was ready to be crucified for her opinions and to risk incurring the severest censure of the League rather than alter her standpoint regarding Manchuria. It •is understood that the resolution censuring Japan will not be withdrawn, i but the vote will not be taken, and the [matter is to bo referred to a special committee of nineteen. JAPAN WILL WITHDRAW FROM LEAGUE. ULTIMATUM BY DELEGATE. GENEVA, Dec. 9. Mr Yosuke Matsuoka (Japanese delegate to the Council of the League of Nations), has declared that Japan will withdraw from the 'League unless the resolution censuring the Japanese action in Manchuria is withdrawn, Mr Hymans replied that the resolution demanded consideration, and time would be given for full discussion.

MAINTENANCE OF PEACE.

MANCHURIAN SETTLEMENT

LONDON, December 7.

The Earl of Lytton, speaking, in) London, maintained that the emergency with which China and Japan were confronted, whether regarded from the viewpoint of world peace or their own. national interest, was great enough to justify expectation of the settlement of the Manchurian problem as a test case, not as to whether the League was an effective instrument but whether the collective responsibility of all nations for the maintenance of peace and justice was, or Avas not, real security. If the League failed to find a settlement by agreement, he said, confidence would be still further shaken. He believed however, that the League would survive even such a failure. If peace could be found it would be to the credit of both countries—a* credit they could not possibly receive by resort to war.—British Official Wireless.

FAVOURABLE TO JAPAN.

GREAT POWERS DECIDE

LONDON, December 8. Both Sir John Simon and M. Paul Boncour (British and French Foreign Ministers respectively) showed that they had mastered the whole of the Lytton Report, during the debate at Geneva. They stressed the point that it was an impartial document and not as generally supposed wholly condemnatory of Japan but making a measured criticism of both China and Japan. The speeches continued all day and it is hoped that they will be concluded to-night. The Geneva correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" compared Sir John Simon's speech with that of an. advocate defending a shady client. He points out that the speeches .showed that Britain, Italy and Germany are definitely on the sido of Japan, opposing any League action distasteful to Japan. France's position is doubtful, though M. Boncour admitted that if conciliation failed the Assembly was bound to make recommendations on the lines of the Lytton Report.

REBEL GENERAL HANDED OVER / ACTION OF SOVIET AUTHORITIES KOBE, Dec. 8. The. Soviet authorities have handed over General Su Ping-wen and forty followers to the combined Japanese Manchukuo force in Manchuria.