AWAITING ZERO HOUR

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 20 February 1933, Page 7

AWAITING ZERO HOUR

Manchurian War Menace ULTIMATUM FROM JAPAN City Evacuation Ordered CHINESE MASS FOR BATTLE STERN RESISTANCE EXPECTED. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph Copyright.) Received 12 noon to-day. SHANGHAI, Feb. 19. According to Pekin messages no internal situation in China since the Boxer rebellion has been more serious than the pending warfare in the Jeliol area. The Finance Minister’s visit to Peking and liis: pubic utterances and exhortations for raising a. loan of 20,000,000 dollars for providing supplies for the armies resisting Japan indicate quiet determination to sternly face the inevitable. Peking remains cairn, but it is realised that only a- few days separate North China from a disastrous war.

A Chinese official communique reports that the Japanese commander at Tungliao has delivered' an ultimatum to the Chinese commander at Kailu, in the north-east corner of the Jeliol, to evacuate the city immediately, else it will be attacked. Hie Chinese have ignored the threat. Further considerable Japanese troop movements' are reported in the vicinity of Cliinchow ,whence a three-way drive is exoected to commence.

' Manchurian reports show the Japanese preparations are practically complete and that General Mut’o is merely awaiting the zero hour to launch an -advance. It is estimated that 150,000 Chinese, including volunteers, have, been massed at strategic mints outside the Great Wall, and there is every indication the Chinese will offer the most stubborn fight in this country’s history.

MOST SERIOUS CRISIS. OPINIONS OF NEUTRALS. Received 12.40 t>.m to-day. PEKING. Feb. 19. The belief that the Far East may be plunged into the most serious international ’crisis since the RussoJapanese war if the Japanese invade •Jeliol is shared by many well-informed neutral diplomats .here. According to reliable reports' the Japanese now are moving troops into position for a drive on Cheng Teh Fu from the direction of Kailu.

VIEWS' ON* LEAGUE REPORT. BRITISH PRESS' COMMENT. (British Official Wireless.) Received 12.30 mm. to-day. RUGBY, Feb. 18. Regarding the draft report of the League of Nations’ committee on the Manchurian dispute, “The Times” say S’ the League having rightly interpreted its functions as being mediatorial, nothing remains' for the full Assembly but to adopt, the report and recommend settlement, which thd report- advocates. Referring to the section of the recommendations which exclude the maintenance of the existing regime in Manchuria; “The Times” says:. -‘A corollary is if the Assembly adopts the draft report, as it undoubtedly will, members of the League will be expected to abstain from any act which might prejudice or delay the carrying out of its recommendations and to continue not to recognise the present regime either de jure or de facto. It clearly is of the highest importance that all countries with interests in the Far East should abstain from taking any isolated action and that, they should act in concert. A policy in reregard to recognition does not seem necessary. All the States concerned should not tie themselves down now to any particular course of policy for all time, but" it most certainly is- advisable that, taking the League’s report as a starting point, they should all pursue the same policy and only modify it by common consent. The “Manchester Guardian” says the recomendatioirs contained in the report which will now he adopted by the Assembly are a strong condemnation of Japan and also a summons to her to negotiate through the organs of the League for a settlement which would be loyal to the treaties which she signed. “If Japan refuses to accent the assistance which the League offers, then, acting together with the United States and Russia, the League must consider what measures it can take to make it impossible for Japan permanently to stand her ground,” says the “Guardian.”