DISTURBED EAST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 230, 29 September 1931, Page 7

DISTURBED EAST.

MANCHURIA MENACE.

Chinese Demand War to Rid

Country of Japs.

FOREIGN MINISTER ATTACKED.

(United P.A,-Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

(Received 11.30 a.m.)

SHANGHAI, September 28,

There is a widespread opinion that the League of Nations has failed at the first real crisis.

Chinese officials are facing a desperate situation. The people everywhere, led by students and radical organisations, are demanding war to rid Manchuria of the Japanese, and propagandists are feeding the flames of popular discontent by exaggerated accounts of massacres of Chinese by Japanese.

An attack by students on Dr. C. T. Wang, the Chinese Foreign Minister at Nanking, is. regarded as most serious. Five thousand made the journey to the capital specially to urge military resistance to Japan. They stormed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, wrecked windows and furniture, and violently assaulted Dr, Wang, who narrowly escaped being beaten to death. He fled in. a motor car amid a hail of sticks and stones.

The mob paraded the streets of Nanking shouting -their demands for the declaration ol war against Japan and for Dr. Wang's dismissal.

Japan's, assurances that . she will restore the status quo in Manchuria are apparently premature. The Japanese evidently intend to hold the occupied positions and to withdraw only the reinforcements which were en route prior to the League's decision.

The Russian menace continues. Three troop trains are waiting -at Mahchuli in case of immediate necessity. Six Russian gunboats arc manoeuvring on the Sungari River observing the Japanese military movements. The Soviet Consul at Harbin is in constant touch with the Chinese special representative.

Japanese military airmen are dropping handbills at Harbin announcing the impending arrival of Japanese troops.

A message from Kobe says that it is alleged that a movement is on foot for the joint independence of Manchuria and Mongolia, under the name of the Ghunghe Republic. The Japanese Press has been permitted to publish this news, but it is warned against giving any hint that it has Japanese Government or military backing.

LEAGUE EFFORTS.

SESSION EXTENDED.

(Received 1 p.m.)

GENEVA, September 28.

The Council of the League of Nations is extending its session in compliance with ' the request, of Dr. Alfred Sze, Chinese Minister in Britain, to assist in the settlement' of'the trouble in Manchuria,. ~,-S i ' 1 '

Mr. Yoshizawa, the Japanese delegate, declared that Japan did not intend to make war on China.