FRONTIER SKIRMISH IN ARABIA

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22306, 21 January 1938, Page 11

FRONTIER SKIRMISH IN ARABIA

♦ DISPUTE BETWEEN BEDOUIN TRIBES (Received January 20, 10.15 p.m.) JERUSALEM, January 20. An unconfirmed report states that ,a serious desert battle, in which at least 50 were killed, was fought between two Bedouin tribes near a frontier between Iraq and Transjordania. The cause of the dispute is said to be an attempt at cattle-stealing.

RUSSIA MASSING TROOPS?

Japanese Allegation Of British Aid STRONGER FORCES NEAR MANCHUKUO UIKTTID PRESS ASSOCIATION—COrYBKJHT.) (Received January 20, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, January 19. The Tokyo correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" says that the newspapers declare that Russia, in co-operation with Outer Mongolia, with which she is allied, is concentrating troops and aeroplanes in the areas bordering on North China and Manchukuo. The "Asahi Shimbun" asserts that Soviet forces on the Manchukuo frontier have been increased by three infantry and two mechanised divisions, two divisions of artillery, and one cavalry division, and one engineering division, and 1500 aeroplanes. It is also alleged that Britain is supplying the Soviet with 20 submarines and 10 heavy guns. PEACE TERMS BY JAPAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT DISREGARDED OVERTURES TO PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY LONDON, January 19. The British United Press says that a report is current in Shanghai that Japan is submitting new peace terms, providing for the withdrawal of all forces, except from the Peiping, Tientsin, Suiyuan, and Chahar regions, with the right to nominate the mayors of the chief cities. Foreign observers doubt the authenticity of the report A Tokyo message states that the Prime Minister (Prince Konoye), at a press conference, said that although Japan had hitherto studied peace terms with the Chinese Central Government as a party to negotiations, henceforth she was not dealing with the Central Government. Japan expected the present provisional government to grow, and was making it a party to peace talks. Meanwhile, Japan would pursue her military operations for the overthrow of the Central Government. Prince Konoye, states a Tokyo message, told journalists that he saw no possibility of resuming talks with Britain, who was adopting a more realistic attitude towards the present situation. Therefore, it was not necessary to take a serious view of the question of- imports of British arms into China. Mr Kazami, Chief Secretary of the Cabinet, described Japan's decision to disregard the Central Government as "stronger than a mere declaration of war." If war had been declared, he said, it would have had to be against the Chinese people, but Japan considered that Marshal Chiang Kai-shek s regime no longer represented the people. . A Berlin message says an official statement admits mediation in the Chinese-Japanese conflict, which has been repeatedly denied. That mediation was undertaken in response to the wish of both parties. Germany's part was confined to forwarding communications from one government to the other.