PASSAGES BOOKED

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 124, 18 February 1933, Page 11

PASSAGES BOOKED

Japanese Delegation MAY LEAVE GENEVA Withdrawal Counselled By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. (Received Feb. 17, 7 p.m.) Geneva, Feb. 17. The Japanese delegation, after a long meeting to-day, telegraphed Tokio counselling Japan’s withdrawal from the League of Nations. The Japanese spent the day in clearing the archives in preparation for. their departure after the Assembly meeting, and have already booked their passages home. Meanwhile, however, the Japanese have presented a statement to the League deploring the Committee of Nineteen’s precipitate and unwarranted aftion, which, they state, is likely to increase the difficulty of restoring peace in the Far East.

The Committee of Niueteen’s report, of 15,000 words, is being broadcast at 2 o’clock this afternoon, a world’s record broadcast, exceeding the 14,000 words of the Peace Treaty. BLOODY CONFLICT Chinese Apprehensions TENSION IN THE NORTH (Received Feb. 17, 8.30 p.m.) Shanghai, Feb. 17. The seriousness of the situation in North China is unsettling the minds of everybody. The feeling is growing that the Far East is on the eve of one of the bloodiest conflicts in history, i | Chinese Government officials refuse to comment on the pending ultimata, but announce that the invasion of Jehol will be resisted to the utmost. The tension is so great in North China that fearing an outbreak of fighting any moment thousands of Chinese are moving south. The fears of the populace have been increased as the result of the removal of the famous Peking treasures, valued at many millions sterling. The Chinese now possess a vest army outside the Great Wall capable of offering serious resistance. Nothing is more remote than the compliance of the Chinese with the Japanese ultimata. •

A report from Peking earlier in the week stated that it was expected that three ultimata would be delivered by the Japanese prior to the invasion of Jehol: one to Tang Yu-lin from Manchukuo. another to Chunk Hausch-Liang from General Moto, the Japanese Commander-in-Chief, and the third from Tokio direct to Nanking—all demanding the complete withdrawal of Chinese troops from Manchukuo and giving a time limit. The Chinese are unlikely to comply, and therefore it. was expected that the invasion of Jehol will commence on February 27.