NINE-POWER CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 22797, 4 November 1937, Page 11

NINE-POWER CONFERENCE

PRELIMINARY TALKS RENEWAL OF INVITATION TO JAPAN EXPECTED NO HOPE OF PARTICIPATION Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright BRUSSELS, November 3. As the result of preliminary talks among statesmen, it is that the conference, over which M. Spunk will preside, will decide to renew the invitation to Japan, but no hope of participation is held out. CONFERENCE OPENS NINETEEN NATIONS REPRESENTED. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, November 3. (Received November 4, at 11.30 a.m.) The conference on the Sino-Japanese dispute opened at Brussels, M. Spank presiding over the representatives of 10 nations. Mr Norman Davis (America) declared that the hostilities in the Far East were of serious concern not only to Japan and China, but to the entite world, for peace, once envisaged only by idealists, had become a matter of vital self-interest to every nation. “ There should he no place for resort to arms in an orderly prosperous world,” continued Mr Davis. “We are hero with a common concern and a common purpose, and our efforts to deal with the situation must be constructive. It is indispensable that an equitable adjustment he found. We have come to this conference with no commitments except those to the treatyprovisions and to the principles which the Government of the United States has repeatedly and emphatically affirmed. The Government of the United States is prepared to share in the common effort to devise within the scope of these treaty provisions and principles a means of finding a pacific solution which will provide for terminating the hostilities in the Far East and for restoring peace in that area.” Air Eden said the British Government was in full agreement with every word spoken by Air Davis. The British Government was prepared to offer the very fullest collaboration to promote the success of the conference. M. Delbos also spoke, and China’s case was stated by Dr Wellington Koo. AI. Litvinoff strongly endorsed Mr Davis’s speech. JAPAN NOT ON TRIAL CONFERENCE’S AIAI TO ESTABLISH PEACE. LONDON, November 3. (Received November 4, at 12.25 p.m.) AI. Spaak said Japan’s refusal to attend made the task of the conference more difficult, but he must emphasise that the conference was not a tribunal before which Japan, could be hailed as the culprit. “ Our aim if possible,” he said, is to halt the war and re-establish peace, because I think there is nothing in the world worth going to war lor. We should think not only of the s.oldiers, but also the women and children.” M. Delbos declared that there was an imperious need to end the conflict on humanitarian grounds on account of the atrocities piling up in the Far East. No one was safe from an extension of the conflict. The conference should! make an effort to induce China and Japan to lay down their arms and enter into friendly negotiations. The Italian delegate, Count Marescotti, said the conference could not quarantine Japan. Only the parties concerned in the position could eliminate the underlying causes of the conflict. Discussions were useless in the absence of Japan. Resolutions merely showed the powerlessness of the countries attending conferences. The Fascist Government must make every reservation regarding the results of the conference, which, however amiable in its methods and means, could only end in platonic resolutions and sterility if realities were ignored. The only useful thing the conference could do was to attempt to bring China and Japan into direct contact. Dr Wellington Koo said; “ We desire peace, but know it cannot be obtained in the presence of Japanese aggression. Wo are determined to continue resistance as Jong as aggression persists. It is only by-accepting peace based on the principles of Article 1. of the Nine-Power Treaty that China, by her tremendous sacrifice, will be contributing to the cause of law and order in the relations between nations.”