BRITISH POLICY GAINS GROUND

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 32, 8 February 1927, Page 9

BRITISH POLICY GAINS GROUND

LOWERS COMING INTO "LINE

AMERICA SUGGESTS NEUTRAL ZONE

As indicated yesterday Britain's policy of peaceful negotiation side by side with defensive preparations to protect British life and property is winning approval 'among the lowers. This is confirmed by to-day's cable news.

(United Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received Bth February, noon.) LONDON, 7th February. Cabinet to-day discussed the complicated many-sided Chinese problems, but the Australian Press Association learns that the Foreign Office is at present unable to throw a further light on the precise situation of the negotiations with Chen. Official circles whole-heart-,edly welcome the United States's suggestion for the neutrality zone at Shanghai. This is openly approved as a parallel policy to Britain's, and evidence that America is satisfied with Britain's purely defensive aims, -despite her apparent isolation in the dispatch of a defensive force. The new American proposal, combined with the fact that America^ herself is accumulating forces and fasfships^-in the Philippines and at Guam, is accepted as evidence that the United States recognises the Tightness of British policy in continuing the negotiations with the Chinese Governments, but unswervingly adhering to her determination to be ready, if necessary, to defend her nationals. Signor Mussolini's declaration approving of Britain's steps, adds force to the claim in official circles that the other Powers are steadily coming into lino to pursue a similar policy to Britain, and it is noteworthy that only to-day the French Foreign Office semiofficially intimated its entire concurrence in the American neutral zone plan. The French view is that tho suggestion comes most appropriately from the United States, because she does not possess a concession at Shanghai, and therefore stands in a position of greater detachment and impartiality than the European Powers.