NINE POWER PACT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 42, 29 November 1937, Page 5

NINE POWER PACT

MAY BE RENOUNCED. THE ATTITUDE OF JAPAN. INTERVENTION OBJECTED TO. United 1 Press Association—Copyright ) TOKIO, November 27. The newspaper “Asahi” reporfs the Prime Minister of Japan (Prince Konoye) as saying that since the NinePower Pact is the pretext for the intervention of the Powers in Far Eastern affairs, Japan will propose either the revision or the denunciation, of the pact at a proper opportunity. “It was made clear several years ago that Japan does not admit European or American intervention in the Far East,” he said. “We should have resorted to this step long ago.” Prince Konoye reiterated that if the Nanking Government made a volte face on China’s anti-Japanese policy, Japan would be ready to respond, but if China was' resolved to prolong hostilities, Japan would accept the challenge. Any future change in the situation might necessitate a declaration of war. Prince Koyone hinted that a new administration in North China was likely to be organised in January. UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER. SEVEN THOUSAND CHINESE (Received This Day, 1.25 p.m.) LONDON, November 28. The Tokio correspondent of “The Times” says that a Chinese General commanding 6000 riflemen and 1000 spearmen surrendered unconditionally at Weihsen, THE ADVANCE ON NANKING. CHINESE PREPARE RESISTANCE. LONDON, November 28. A message from Shanghai states that apparently as a forerunner of a severe bombing attack on Chinkiang, the Japanese have advised British ships to regard it as a danger zone. The British Charge d’Affaires (Mr R. G. Howe) arrived at Hongkow aboard the gunboat Bee with most of the Embassy staff from Nanking. After their capture of Wushing the Japanese are almost within artillery range of Nanking, but Marshal Chiang Kai-shek’s troops are preparing a desperate. resistance, with 12 divisions manning the adjacent defences, besides 40,000 Szechwan troops garrisoning the city, which, however, is suffering from an acute shortage of food.

It is reported from- Honk-Kong that in the hope of preventing the transport of munitions to China, 20 Japanese aeroplanes dropped more than 100 bombs on the Canton-Kowloon railway. Hundreds of feet of track were torn up, causing the suspension of the service for two days. Because of the presence of Chinese gunmen, the Japanese have proclaimed martial law at Tientsin.