AGAINST BRITAIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23858, 12 July 1939, Page 11

AGAINST BRITAIN

AGITATION IN JAPAN HOSTILE RESOLUTIONS NEGOTIATIONS NOT YET BEGUN (United Press Association) 'Ey Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, July 10. The Tokio correspondent of The Times says that, in view of prolongation of the Japanese preliminary negotiations, the Tientsin Conference is unlikely to be opened before next week. The Japanese Foreign Office accepted in principle the proposals put forward by the army officials, but some points are being adjusted. In the meantime anti-British agitation, fanned by totalitarian sympathisers, is being spread throughout the country. Swarms of resolutions from municipalities and public bodies demand that the Government take a very firm stand in the negotiations. The Daily Telegraph’s Shanghai correspondent says: The Japanese are placing barbed wire round British property, as in Tientsin, and have encircled three British-owned factories at Soochow Creek. They claim they are merely tightening up the defences, but it is believed they are deliberately attempting to hamper British enterprises at Shanghai and Pootung. The British have protested very strongly. Japanese despatches from Shantung and Honan declare that an official economic boycott is being organised. Magistrates are inspecting British goods - and forbidding further dealings. A message from Shanghai states that Japanese soldiers stood by and allowed anti-British demonstrators to throw stones and fire crackers at windows of Pritish buildings in Tsingtao. A message from Hongkong says that Chinese sources state that Japanese agitators induced the Chinese to set fire to several British missions in the Shansi province. The Japanese also captured and executed many Chinese converts attached to the missions.

BRITISH ATTACHE TO BE COURT-MARTIALLED SHANGHAI, July 10. The Japanese Spokesman announced that Lieutenant-colonel Spears would be court-martialled. This will be the first time that the Japanese army has put on trial a foreign attache. Lieutenant-colonel Spears was allegedly found hiding inside the Japanese lines at Kalgan, and was detained. It was claimed that he was gathering information on behalf of the Kuomintang Communists.