FAR EAST CRISIS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11832, 13 January 1933, Page 5

FAR EAST CRISIS

EXCESSIVE COLD HOLDS UP FIGHTING.

(U.P.\. by Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Rec. Jan. 13. 1 a.in.) SHANGHAI. Jan. 12.

A wave of bitter cold has temporarily stopped lighting in the north, and is postponing Chinese attempts to recover Chumenkow Pass. With a temperature of approximately 30 degrees below zero military operations are- impossible. Even machine-guns are frozen and miusuuble.

Ponies outside Peking returned with beards of icicles three inches long.

NEW WORLD WAR?

SEQUEL TO PRESENT CRISIS

SINISTER PREPARATIONS

LONDON, Jan. 4,

The possibility of another world war developing out of the present situation in Manchuria is betng discussed. Unless China can be persuaded to Surrender Manchuria, Japan will leave the League of Nations, says the Genova correspondent of the NewsChronicle.

The correspondent- predicts that the League Assembly .will make a desperate struggle later 'u January to produce a report that will avoid tlic implication that Japan lias broken tlie League Covenant-, and that this probably will cause China's withdrawal. China is still confident- of ultimate victory. but the British, French and other Governments liavo received private advices from Tokio to the effect that even if the League maintains its conciliatory efforts Japan will resign, .and thus leave herself free to take the offensive against China.

She is aiming, it is stated, at tlie invasion of Jcliol, tho occupation of Tientsin and l’oiping, and the proclamation of Pu Vi as Emperor, accompanied by.-an attempt to constitute North China as a “friendly buffer State.” Japan believes that these developments are- possible within a few months.

Meanwhile, Russia is convinced tha,i) Japan is determined on an early attack on tho Soviet. Japanese munition factories arc said to liavc been working overtime for months, feverish activities are 'in. progress to reorganise the Army and to compress a four years’ naval programme into two, while recently a British firm sold to the Japanese machine guns and munitions to equip an army of 200,000. Japanese militarists are said to he dominated by a desire to wage a “preventive war” before the Soviet s second Five Year Plan can be completed, and before America has sufficiently emerged from the ciisis to strengthen, her navy.