EMPEROR MAY INTERVENE

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22003, 29 January 1937, Page 11

EMPEROR MAY INTERVENE

FORMING JAPANESE

CABINET

POLITICAL EXCITEMENT

ATTEMPTED ASSAULTS ON

GENERAL UGAKL

(U.NITBi) I'KKSi.S ASSOCIATION— UOI'YUIUHT.)

(Received January 28, 7.32 p.m.)

LONDON, January 28

The.Tokyo correspondent of "The Times" says the Emperor may intervene on behalf of General Ugaki, who may ask him to order the army to appoint a War Minister. The press does not support this, as there is no recent precedent for thus involving the Imperial authority in a quarrel with the army, whose opposition is insurmountable because it arises from the personal opposition of the high commands to General Ugaki. General Ugaki reported to the Emperor through the Lord Privy Seal (Mr K. Yuasa), whom the Emperor heard in complete silence, that the Chief of the General Staff, a former War Minister, and the Director of Military Education had rebuffed him by telling him that all his three nominees for the War Ministry had refused the post. The newspaper "Asahi Shimbun hints that a washing of dirty linen may be imminent, alleging that General Ugaki is responsible for impairing the unity of control of the army, and was involved in planning a dictatorship through the so-called "Young officer" plot. General Ugaki's friends deny this. The patriotic underworld is excited. Three ruffians were arrested when they had almost reached General Ugaki in the confusion attending his return from the palace. Other patriots have been cautioned for publishing threats. Later, an armed party, believed to be fascists, forced a way into General Ugaki's home and attacked <him. His bodyguard beat off the intruders before he was harmed. A number of arrests have been made.