NORTH CHINA CLASHES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 194, 17 July 1937, Page 9

NORTH CHINA CLASHES.

U.S.A. AND BRITAIN.EFFORTS TO PREVENT WAR. LONDON, July 16. England and America, acting independently, are both using their influence to prevent the North China trouble degenerating into a SinoJapanese war, says the diplomatic correspondent of the Morning Post. The British Government’s view is that the original incident is not sufficient to justify a war, and it has so informed the Japanese Government. It also lias urged that both sides should not allow the affair to become magnified by considerations of prestige. There is no question of British mediation. It is understood that the United States Government has made similar representations. The Shanghai correspondent of the Times says that the crux of the position, from the Chinese viewpoint, is whether the Nanking Government will allow pro-Japanese officials in North China to make a damaging settlement, or whether the Chinese army., which for a long time has been trained for an emergency like the present one, will be used in an attempt to check the intended aggression. There is a large patriotic element in China favouring resistance at any cost. If China is sufficiently accommodating a local settlement can doubtless be easily arranged, but the whole tone ol reports from Tokio is that Japan believes that China needs a lesson from the powerful Japanese army, and that, as an incidental to the lesson, Japan will he able to get whatever she wants in North China. It is reported from Tientsin that General Katsuki, the Japanese commander in North China, and General Sung Chen-yuan, chairman of the Political Council at Hopei, discussed new Japanese peace proposals, me hiding the reconstruction of Hopei and Ghahar, which under the proposed terms would repudiate membership of the Chinese Republic.

CHINESE MASSING

ON SHANSI BORDER

LONDON, July 16.

Jt is reported from Tokio that 30 divisions of Chinese troops are massing on the Shansi border along the Hai-chow-Sianfu railway, A Triontsin message states that an unofficial report from Chinese quarters, which is without confirmation, states that after all-night negotiations an agreement for the withdrawal of the 37th division of the 29th Chinese army from Peking to Paotin was reached. A peace strength corps has been detailed to garrison Liukouchiao and environs.