TIGHTENING THE GRIP

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 36, 22 November 1937, Page 5

TIGHTENING THE GRIP

JAPANESE AT SETTLEMENT. DEMANDS ON MUNICIPALITY. ACTION IF REJECTED. (United Press Association—Copyright., (Received This Day, 10.35 a.m.) SHANGHAI, November 21. The Japanese grip on the International Settlement is tightening. The Military Attache (Major Harada) conveyed demands to the British, American and French officials of the Municipal Council. The demands include the liberty to march troops along the Bund, and the surrender of interned Chinese, including 377 survivors of the “doomed battalion.” The Japanese require acknowledgment of their right to take over all sovereign rights with the Settlement formerly exercised by China. If the demands are not granted, Japan reserves the right to take the necessary measures. DEMANDS ACCEDED TO. (Received This Day, 1.5 p.m). SHANGHAI, November 21. The Municipal authorities of the International Settlement have agreed to accede to the Japanese demands as far as possible. NOW NON-EXISTENT. st THE CHINESE AIR FORCE. THE ADVANCE ON NANKING. (Received This Day, 1.50 p.m.) TOKIO, November 21. Japanese forces westward and northwestward of Nanking are completing their preparations for an advance on the city, which Chinese, though not unanimously, declare they will defend to the last man. A Japanese naval and military force landed at Fushan, on the eastern Yangtse-Kiang, and established communications behind the lines, linking up Fushan, Changshu and Soochow on the Shanghai-Nanking canal railway. They then advanced upon Wusih, thereby threatening the flank of the Chinese secondary defences that are barring the road to Nanking 1.00 miles away. The Chinese are retreating in disorder to Soochow, where, the Japanese assert, they bayoneted 1000 and took prisonef* 2000. The Chinese air force lias ceased to exist as a fighting unit and there is therefore nothing to prevent Japanese ’planes continuously bombing and machine-gunning fugitives. The victors are now advancing on the entire front. This is based on a rough semicircle connecting Huchowfu, Soocliow and Fushan. The intention is crucially to test the Chinese “Hindenburg” line, connecting Wusih and Kiankyin. The fate of Nanking hangs on this. SEIZED BY JAPANESE. FIRE FLOAT AND LAUNCHES. CHINESE CREWS DETAINED. (Received This Day, 11.5 a.m.) SHANGHAI, November 21. Japanese marines seized 30 water police, Customs and fire brigade launches and a fire float worth £20,000. They put the foreign members ashore and detained the Chinese. JAPANESE ENTER SOOCHOW. GOVERNMENT NOW AT CHUNGKING. SHANGHAI, November 20. The centre of the advancing Japanese screen has entered Soochow. It is believed this portends the crumpling of the Chinese “Hindenburg line.” The Japanese claim that they have completed the capture of Kashing and have captured Nanziang on the south shore of Lake Taihu. , It is officially announced from Nanking that the seat of Government has been transferred to Chungking. This was accompanied by a proclamation that China stands firm against coercion and the acceptance of the humiliating terms which are the purpose of the Japanese advance westwards.

JAPANESE PLANS READY. POLITICAL FUTURE OF CHINA. A FEDERATION OF STATES. LONDON, November 20. The Tokio correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says Japan lias already planned China’s political future. The chief feature will be a federation of States under a Central Government, with Peiping as the capital. Foreign policy, customs, taxation, and defence would be administered under Japanese advisorship. The Chinese army would be abolished and replaced by a peace preservation corps. The Italian Ambassador to China called on the Japanese commander at Shanghai, General Matsui, who was warmly appreciative of Italy’s goodwill

to the Japanese army. The Ambassador suggested that Italy would fight hand in hand with Japan for the sake of an anti-comintern front.

A. message from Rome says a highplaced official reveals that an official Chinese mission, headed by Mr Chen Kou Fu, has gone to Brussels after .discouraging interviews with Signor Mussolini and the Foreign Minister (Count Ciano,) at which they sought a more impartial Italian attitude toward China. Instead, Signor Mussolini suggested that China would be unable to resist the overwhelming Japanese strength, and counselled Italian and German mediation, in which conditions precedent would be Chinese recognition of Manchukuo and of an independent North China.