NAVAL EXPANSION

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 February 1938, Page 7

NAVAL EXPANSION

A JAPANESE DENIAL

NON-AGGRESSION REITERATED [BY CABLE —PBESS ASSN. —COPYBIGHT.] (Recd. Feb. 11, 9 a.m.). TOKIO, February 10. Mr. Noda said: 'inough the Government is still considering the procedure of answering the British, French, and American inquiry into our naval plans, japan has not changed her position whatever, since she left the London Conference. Japan sticks to the formula of a common upper .limit, both quantitatively and qualitatively. He said that the three Powers had signed a qualitative pact, as accomplishing something, yet, scarcely a year after its ratification, they had already started quantitative expansion, while the position qualitatively was uncertain, proving that Japan’s proposal was fairer. He added: If we give the desired information, it would Mind us qualitatively, which is unfair, while, if it is not given, it appears that others would make it a pretext for expansion, on tne imaginary ground that Japan is expanding. Countries with smaller resources need greater secrecy, due to the greater necessity to build special classes of warships, suitable to defend their security. Mr. Noda reiterated the policy of non-menace and non-aggression, and said: We have no idea of starting a race, but if others’ expansion menaces our security, we will not sit idle.

MANCHUKUO MOBILISES SHANGHAI, February 10. The Manchukuan State Council has passed general mobilisation, placing material and human resources on a war basis. BATTLE OF LU NG HAI LONDON, February 10. The Shanghai correspondent of “The Times’’ says the battle of Lunghai is developing on a front of 400 miles. The Japanese are estimated to be employing eight main armies. FOREIGN LEGION LONDON, February 10. The Pekin correspondent of “The Times” says General Terauchi’s headquarters assert that the Foreign Legion fighting in China consists of 315 Russians, 152 Americans, 124 Frenchmen, 55 British, and five others. Of these, 550 are said to be air pilots or anti-aircraft gunners. THEFT OF PLANS. WASHINGTON, February 10. The U.S. Navy authorities officially deny reports circulating from London that Mr. Ingersoll (United States envoy) possessed copies of plans which are purported to have been stolen from the plans of Japan’s naval programme. The Navy authorities reiterated that Mr. Ingersoll’s visit was to clear up confusion as to what is meant by standard . tonnage referring to warships. JAPANESE TERRORISM (Recd. Feb. 11, Noon). SHANGHAI, February 10. A bomb caused considerable damage to the offices of the newspaper “Hwameipao." The assailant escaped. Another bomb was flung into the building of the British-owned newspaper “Wenweipao,” injuring three Chinese employees. The owner, Henry Cuming, received a letter from a Japanese terrorists’ organisation, warning him that if he published antiJapanese material, he •would receive the same fate as the Chinese editor whose severed head was found in the French Concession. The American publisher of the “Hwameipao” received a similar letter.