BRITISH AID FOR CHINA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22853, 7 October 1937, Page 11

BRITISH AID FOR CHINA

ACCUSATION BY JAPANESE PRESS

ALLEGED SUPPLY OF WAR MATERIALS

(Received October 6, 9.30 p.m.)

TOKIO, Oct, 6

The Japanese press has launched a bitter attack against Britain, which is accused of assisting the Nanking Government with aeroplanes which, it is said, are being delivered at Hongkong and flown to Canton by British-trained Chinese pilots. The Asahi Shimbun also alleges that Britain is helping China to restore the Hongkong-Hankow railway, and that as a result of the arrangement the Chinese are importing a large quantity of anti-aircraft guns, machine-guns and trench mortars. Britain thereby, says the journal, is contributing to the prolongation of the hostilities, by encouraging China's resistance.

WORLD INDIGNATION

BOYCOTT QUESTION LITTLE NEWSPAPER SUPPORT ADVERSE EFFECTS POSSIBLE British Wireless RUGBY, Oct. 5 The resolution passed by the Labour Party Conference at Bournemouth, calling upon the British Government to co-operate with other countries in imposing economic and financial pressure designed to end Japanese aggression, follows the lines of the demand made by the leader of the Liberal Opposition, Sir Archibald Sinclair, by the Council for Peace and Reconstruction, by the League of Nations Union and various political, religious and pacifist societies.

UNMISTAKABLY PROVED 0 SATISFACTION IN BRITAIN (Received October 6, 9.30 p.m.) " y LONDON. Oct. 6 The Times in a leading article emphasises that President Roosevelt and the Arch bishop of Canterbury have unmistakably proved the indignation of the greater part ot the world at Japan's aggression and air bombing. The lournal says the significance of President Roosevelt's appeal to peaceloving peoples to co-operate in the defence of peace can be missed nowhere. It will nowhere meet with deeper satisfaction than in Britain and the Dominions, but machinery is essential to determine the possibilities in which action could be concerted and its objects defined.

The measures proposed meet with relatively little wholehearted press support

The Times notes that protests to Japan by certain Powers have apparently not been without their effect in that no major aerial attacks on nonmilitary objectives have been made for several days.

NORTHERN FRONT

UNE.S 1250 MILES LONG JAPAN CLAIMS SUCCESSES TOKIO. Oct. 5 The hattlp front in five provinces in North China extends over 1250 miles. Ten thousand Japanese troops in the Peking area, with tanks, cleared 30 square miles, driving '2OOO guerilla fighters into the mountains Japanese troops captured Chunhsien, 70 miles north of Taiyuanfu. PROTECTION OF CANTON 40 AEROPLANES DESPATCHED RIVER BLOCKED TO SHIPS SHANGHAI. Oct. 5 A message from Canton says .Marshal Chiang Kai-shek, besides sending General Vu Hau-mou 40 battle aeroplanes, has reinforced the naval units at Canton and blocked' tho river against entry Japanese warships. ' fighting at shanghai HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE CHINESE WARSHIPS SUNK ' SHANGHAI, Oct. 5 Heavy loss of life, with no advantage either side, marks desperate figlitln? in the ruins of Chapei. The Japanese claim to have sunk by means of bombs and gunfire the Chinese cruisers *inghai,. Haichou, Yingswei, Chaoho and three others, none of which exceeds 4500 tons. DEATH DECREE troops who withdraw SHANGHAI. Oct. fi Genor:i,| Han Fu-ehu. Governor of ohantung, who removed doubts of his °3«lty to China by leading his own Soldiers to battle, has decreed the death penalty for all troops who withdraw om Shantung - without authority.

Discussing boycott proposals, the Times points out that any Government which embarks on sanctions against Japan must be prepared for interpretation of such a step as a hostile act; that sanctions, to bo effective, require complete co-operation between Governments who contemplate imposing them, and that they might well, at this juncture, have the effect not ot humanising the warfare in China, and far less of stopping it, but rather of driving Japan to yet more desperate lengths. The newspaper urges that the feelings aroused should seek an outlet in efforts to relieve the dreadful sufferings of the Chinese people. The Daily Telegraph opposes action for the same reasons, and remarks that not only would the achievement of the end in view be uncertain, but injury would be felt by boycotters as well as boycotted. The Manchester Guardian says that if sanctions arn to he effective there must be a risk of war, and in this case risk ol war in the Far East means a greater risk in Europe. The News Chronicle supports the demand for the use of the economic weapon, as does the Labour organ, the Daily Herald, which criticises the Government for rejecting resort to measures which, it says, could effeetiveh avert war ■

IRONWORKERS' PROTEST NO WORK ON CERTAIN SHIPS SYDNEY, Oct. <i Members of the Newcastle branch of the Ironworkers' Union decided, as a protest against bombings of Chinese non-military objectives, to refuse to do any repairs or overhaul work on vessels trading to Japan CHINESE RELIEF FUND LONDON. Oct. The retiring Lord Mayor of London, Sir George Broadbridge, in co-operation with the governor ot the Bank of England, Mr. Montagu Norman, is organising a Chinese Relief Fund.