NO SURRENDER!

Grey River Argus, 20 February 1932, Page 5

NO SURRENDER!

CHINA’S REPLY To Japanese Ultimatum FOR CHINESE FORCES. TO GIVE UP; SHANGHAI. SHANGHAI February 18. Chinese and Japanese representatives met on neutral ground* this morning, and held-a lengthy conference in regard to a peace settlement.. Late this evening no progress had been reported. The strictest secrecy is being maintained. The meeting was one of military commanders and the Japanese presented a series of demands including one for the demilitarisation of Shanghai, together with the destruction of the Chinese fortifications in the Woosung area, and the immediate withdrawal for twenty kilometres of the Chinese forces. The meeting lasted .two hours. The Chinese representative said that- he was unable .to . ac'cej)t the proposals and must refer them •to his Government. Both sides desired peace with honour. but the Chinese impression is that any withdrawal indicates weakness. The conference of military leaders finally failed. The Chinese rejected] the Japanese demands for the with drawal of troops, declaring they wiL fight, to the end. After the conference the Jailaneso terms were communicated to the Chinese by the Japanese, with a noti!'cation that the Chinese troops must withdraw from their first lines by Saturday morning and from ’the second' lines by Saturday evening. The Chinese authorities are believed to be engaged on drafting a reply. Artillery fire was again being exchanged during the evening. Chinese Leader EXPLAINS DECISION TO RESIST. (Received February 19 at 11.10 p.m.) SHANGHAI, February 19. Commander of the Chinese Nineteenth Route Army. General Tsai, definitely rejected the Japanese demands. He claimed that the Chinese people cannot accept such a dishonourable means of averting the crisis.

General Tsai said: “I am fighting for the rights of the nation, which has too long been trampled beneath the heels of foreign Powers. If I and my men die defending what is the Chinese people’s heritage, we shall at least know that we have done what others have feared to attempt.”

Chinese Attack BOMBARDMENT OF ENEMY. LONDON, February 19. A telegram from Shanghai states that without waiting for the expiry of the Japanese ultimatum, the Chinese early this morning took the in • itiative, and intensively bombarded Japanese positions. Some shells fell in the British quarter of the settlement, one wrecking the upper room, of the Savoy Hotel. C’ : 1 I' hist night dropped behind ... v use in the Broadway district, smashing windows and doing other extensive damage i n the International Settlement. Fortunately the curfew prevented injuries, the streets being deserted.

CHINESE HEADQUARTERS. SHANGHAI, February 19. It is now practically impossible to reach the Chinese Headquarters, as the roads arc mined, and there arc trenches, while the bridges arc destroyLEAGUE ASSEMBLY. TO CONSIDER CHINA’S REQUEST. GENEVA, February 18. The Jurists’ Committee upheld the Council’s thesis, supporting the Chinese applications for the convocation of the Assembly. KEEN BRITISH INTEREST. GRAVE VIEW OF JAPAN’S ACTION. RUGBY, February 18. The acute interest with which the Commons is watching events in the Far East, was shown again to-day. when Sir J. Simon gave Members the latest information in his possession. After referring with regret, to the two British naval ratings killed yesterday by shells which, from their direction, seemed almost certain to have been fired by Chinese guns, Sir J. Simon said the British Minister sent a note to the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, calling attention to the episode, requesting strict instructions to ho issued by the Chinese military authorities concerned, with a view to preventing any possible recurrence of such incidents, and reminding him that the British Government must, in this unfortunate conflict between China and Japan, hold each side responsible for any loss of British life and property that may be caused by the respective armed forces. Referring to the meeting, this morning, between the Chinese and Japanese military authorities, which he, mentioned had been largely brought about by Sir Miles Lampson in the hope that a. cessation of hostilities might be arranged, Sir ,T. Simon said that the House would regret the latest press' messages indicated that an agreement was not secured. The latest news from Geneva was that Japan had raised certain legal points in connection with the Chinese request for the reference of the dispute from the Council to the

Assembly. These had been referred by the Council to a committee of jurists, who were expected to report to day. He anticipated that the Chinese application would then be dealt with by the Council without delay. When the Shanghai situation was mentioned in the Lords, this evening, Lord Hailsham, War Secretary, expressing the grave concern of the Government, said that what had happened was very difficult to reconcile with tho provisions of the Pact of Paris or the League Covenant. While co-operating in all peace efforts, the Government had kept the closest possible touch with the American Government, and their colleagues on the League Council. The reported failure of the meeting to-day, between the Japanese and Chinese, was to be greatly regretted, and there seemed serious risk of a recommencement of hostilities. Such a failure was not going to discourage the Government in peace efforts. He asked for restraint to be exercised in expressions of opinion as to where the responsibility lay for the situation, until full opportunity was given the Council or the Assembly of the League to determine the issues.