Chinese Troops Massing

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 168, 17 July 1937, Page 5

Chinese Troops Massing

Thirty Divisions Stated to Be Involved Japanese Concession Reported Surrounded United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Saturday, 1.15 a.m. TOKIO, July 16. Thirty divisions of Chinese troops are massing on the Shansi border along the Haichow-Sianfu railway. A Tientsin message states unofficial Chinese quarters report, without confirmation, after all-night negotiations, an agreement for the withdrawal of the 37th division of the 29th Chinese Army from Peiping to Paotin. Three thousand Chinese troops are reported to have surrounded the Japanese concession in Hankow.

ORIGINAL INCIDENT NOT SUFFICIENT TO JUSTIFY WAR BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S TOW Received Friday, 11 p.m. LONDON, July 16. England and America, acting independently, are both using their influence to prevent the North China trouble degenerating into a Sino-Japanese war, Bays the Morning Post’s diplomatic correspondent. The British Government’s view is that the original incident is not eufficient to justify war, and it has so informed the Japanese Government. Ii has also 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 made similar representations. The Shanghai correspondent of the Times says tne crux of tne position from the Chinese viewpoint is whether. Nau king will allow pro-Japanese officials iu the north to make a damaging settle ment. and whether the Chinese army, which for a long time, has been trained for an emergency like the present, will be used in an attempt to check the intended aggression. There is a large patriotic element favouring resistance at any cost. If China is sufficiently accommodating, a local settlement can doubtless be easily arranged, but the whole tone of the reports from Tokio is that Japan believes China needs a lesson from the powerful Japanese Army, and that, incidental to the lesson, Japan will be able to get whatever she wants in North Chino. INDEPENDENCE FOR HOIm AND CHAHAR FEATURE OF JAPANESE PEACE PROPOSALS Received Friday, 10.50 p.m. TIENTSIN, July 16. General Katsuki, Japanese commander in North China, and General Sung Chen-Yuan, chairman of the Political Council at Hopei, discussed new Japanese peace proposals, including reconstruction of Hopei and Chahar, which, under them, would repudiate membership of the Chinese Republic.

JAPANESE SECOND LINE OF DEFENCE CALL TO 3,000,000 MEMBERS Received Friday, 8.30 p.m. TOKIO, July 16. General Inouye, president of the Jap aneso Association, with 3,000,000 mem bers, called on them to be in readiness to form a second line of defence, which is interpreted as a preliminary to their mobilisation. MESSAGE FROM BRITAIN. AMBASSADOR CONFERS WITH CHINA NANKING, T uly 15. The British Ambassador in China, Sir. H. Knatcbbull-Hugessen, arrived at Nanking from Peitaho by a warship and conferred with the Chinese Foreign Minister, Mr. Wang Chunghsui. It is understood that he delivered a message from the British Government to the Chinese Government. JAPAN SENDING MORE TROOPS. VIEWS SITUATION SERIOUSLY TOKIO, July 15. The War Office officially announces that in view of the serious situation in North China, it has decided to dispatch more troops from Japan. JAPAN’S DEMANDS. INDEPENDENCE OF PROVINCES PEKING, July 15. Despite denials, it is reported that Japan has demanded the independence of Hopei and Chahar provinces. MEMBERS TO APPEAL. LONDON, July 15. The suspended London busmen have engine is warm. Probably insufficient ; tract of grease is removed. The paint of the Transport Workers * Union.