BRITAIN ACCUSED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 90, 26 January 1938, Page 5

BRITAIN ACCUSED

WAR SUPPLIES TO CHINA.

“WATCHING THIRD POWERS."

FOREIGN MINISTER CAUTIOUS

(United Press Association—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 9.5 a.m.) TOKIO, January 25.

Calling the attention of the Diet to the war supplies reaching China, from neutral countires, Baron Sonoda said: “In spite of Britain’s hitherto friendly attitude to Japan, she is now selfishly supplying China with arms.”

“If Britain insults the Oriental races and fails to respect Japan’s position in the Far East,” added Baron Sonoda, “Japan will be in no position to guarantee the continued existence of British rights and interests in China.” The Foreign Minister (Mr K. Hirota) replied that Japan must carefully watch the attitude of third Powers and make them understand the new realities in the Far East. The supply of munitions to China was the subject of no legal restriction, but could voluntarily be suspended by those anxious for a settlement of the Sino-Japanese conflict and the restoration of peace in the Far East. The munitions of British manufacture, from Hong Kong, were a mere fraction of the total reaching China. Nevertheless, the Government desired to direct the attention of foreign Powers to the traffic in war supplies to China.

DOMINANT FACTOR IN POLITICS.

THE CABINET, NOT THE ARMY

(Received This Day, 9.35 a.m.) TUKiO, January 25

In the Diet. Mr Hirota said that the bulk of the war supplies must be regarded as coming from countries other than Britain.

Viscount Okochi asked whether the Cabinet or the fighting services were dominant factor in politics. The Premier (Prince xvonoye) replied that the Cabinet was. It would be unfortunate if friction arose, but the Government must drastically control individualism and liberalism if harmfully influencing people.

AIR RAIDS IN THE SOUTH,

TWENTY REPORTED KILLED

AT CANTON

HONG KONG, January 25

Relays of Japanese aeroplanes took part in the longest series of air raids yet suffered in South China. The towns bombed included Canton, where 20 were killed. Chinese “Archies” .returned a heavy fire. RECAPTURE CLAIMED.

(Received This Dfiv, 10.45 a.m.) HANKOW, This Day. The Chinese announce the recapture of Hohsien.

A FUTILE PROTEST.

TARIFF CONCESSION TO JAPAN. This Day, 11.45 a.m.) LONDON, January 25. The Shanghai correspondent of “The Times” says that Hankow’s protest to Peiping that the tariff in favour of Japan is a violation of China’s prerogative can have little effect in the face of Japan’s grip on the city. It is a flagrant discrimination incompatible with Japan’s declaration of the “open door.”

BRITISH LABOUR VIEWPOINT.

DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER

(Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) LONDON, January 25. The Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain) received a deputation from the National Council of Labour, which laid before him its views on the situation in the Far East.

Major Attlee, Sir Walter Citrine, Mr Dallas, and Mr Noel Barker urged that Britain should take the lead, in effective concerted action by the Powers to bring the conflict to an end.

Mr Chamberlain, in reply, explained in detail the very close way which the British Government was following the developments of the situation.—British Official Wireless.

FOREIGN PROPERTY RIGHTS.

REPRESENTATIONS TO TOKIO.

LONDON, January 24

The Hong Kong correspondent of the “Daily Mail” states that the British and German Consuls-General at Tsingtao made representations to Japan about the illegal entry by troops to the property of their nationals. Arising from the representations by the American Ambassador (Mr J. C. Grews) to the Japanese Foreign Minister (Mr K. Hirota) to end Japanese trespassing on American establishments in Nanking, the Domei News Agency states that Japan has already taken steps to prevent incidents there and elsewhere in China.

The police have been worried by the

distribution throughout Japan of inflammatory Communist literature from the United States and China. Official circles in London have noted the references to Britash and Japanese relations and the assurances that Japan would fully respect the rights and interests of other Powers in China, and that she would follow the policy of an “open door,” as outlined by Mr Hirota in his speech at the opening of the Diet.

According to “The Times,” these passages in the speech are .regarded in London as indicating the desire of the Japanese Government to avoid incidents which can only harm British and Japanese relations. It adds: “Mr Hirota’s assurance encourages hope for Japanese co-opera-tion in the removal of the present disputes and the prevention of further incidents. At the same time it is made clear that the British Government has no intention of .relaxing its vigilance in protecting important and long-estab-lished British interests which are at stake in China.”