MORE TROOPS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19378, 16 July 1937, Page 5

MORE TROOPS

JAPS. IN CHINA GESTURES OF DEFIANCE TIME FOR SETTLEMENT CHECK TO INVASION POPULAR 29TH ARMY (Eire. Tel. Copyright —United Press Assn.) (Reed. July 16, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, July 15. Reports from Pekin state that the Japanese forces at Fengtai have issued a proclamation in Chinese indicating that the despatch of troops to North China is for the purpose of expelling the Chinese 29th Army as opponents of law and order. Competent observers expressed the opinion that Japan was only awaiting reinforcements before driving out the 29th Army from Hopei.

Despite denials it is reported in Pekin that Japan has demanded the independence of Hopei and Chahar. A Nanking message says that the British Ambassador to China, Sir Hugh Knatchbull-Hugessen, has arrived there from Peitaho by a warship. He conferred with the Chinese Foreign Minister, Dr. Wang ChungHsui. It is understood that lie delivered a message from the British Government to the Chinese Government.

Motive Suggested The tenor of Chinese press comments in Shanghai is that the time has come for a settlement of accounts with Japan. The papers advocate the abandonment of negotiations which, it is suggested, are merely giving Japan time to prepare her war machine. The populace acclaims the 29th Army as national heroes. A message from Tokio says that Japanese warships have been ordered to the Chinese and Manchukuoan coasts. The Prime Minister, Prince Konoye, who is ill, sent a message to the Cabinet urging the Ministers to be calm. "The Government intends to seek China's prompt reconsideration of a peaceful solution," he added. The Japanese War Office in Tokio officially announces that in view of the serious situation in North China it has been decided to despatch more troops from Japan. Condition of Settlement In an earlier message, the Tokio correspondent of The Times stated that hopes that peace between Japan and China could be preserved were growing stronger, but the governing factor was still the Nanking Government's attitude towards Japan's insistence the dispute must be settled with the North China authorities as a local incident. If the Chinese proposals for a settlement of the indident were faithfully fulfilled, the Japanese army would be satisfied, but it intended to see them carried out before relaxing its preparations. Japan was making no political demands and the terms being discussed would not alter North China's existing status or China's territorial integrity. The terms for settlement offered were:—

(1) No Chinese troops in future to be stationed at Liukouchiao and order to be maintained by peace preservation officers.

(2) The Chinese to agree to a formal apology being made by the 29th Army, and to punish those responsible for the recent incidents, to give guarantees against their recurrence, and to suppress anti-Japanese organisations, including the Communist Party. The Times says that it is unofficially reported that the Chinese and Japanese military leaders in North China agreed to an armistice, after which the Japanese forces retired pending negotiations which were designed to localise the controversy and to avoid a general war.