JAPAN'S REPLY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 32, 8 February 1932, Page 9

JAPAN'S REPLY

TO POWERS' PROPOSALS

UNDER CONSIDERATION

(British Official Wireless.) (Received Bth February, 11 a.m.)

RUGBY, 6th February. The British, United States, French, and Italian Governments aro conferring as to the reply to be made to the Japanese Note sent in response to tho proposals for ending tho Far East dispute. Britain has supported further American representations made to Tokio regarding the use of the Shanghai International Settlement as a basis for operations.

WASHINGTON, 6th February. The State Department not only is not inclined to comment on Japan's formal explanation of her military policy, 1)0* has_ indicated that the attitude of the United States on Japan's decision to land additional forces in Shanghai probably will not be formulated for the nest 48 hours.

The chief concern of the State Department is -whether the Japanese troops will bo placed actually in the International Settlement or landed in the Woosung aiea. _ Despite the latter possibility there is a decided tendency to regard the situation as bearing within it the seeds of its own solution. It is felt that Japan must halt her present course or undertake a major campaign to gain control of the Yangtse Valley, which would be a project requiring 300,000 men and the expenditure of funds that Japan can ill-affoTd.

In the meantime the Navy Department has ordered the cruiser Rochester and two gunboats from Central American waters to join the' Asiatic squadron from Manila.