TIME TO SETTLE ACCOUNTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20781, 16 July 1937, Page 9

TIME TO SETTLE ACCOUNTS

CHINESE PRESS COMMENT United Press Association—By Elector Telcerimh r , nn”r*<’ht (Received July 15. 11.10 p.m.) SHANGHAI, July 15. Tire tenor of the Chinese press comments is that the time has come for a settlement of accounts with Japan. The newspapers advocate an abandonment of negotiations as these will give Japan time to prepare her war machine. The populace acclaims the Twenty-Ninth Army as national heroes.

CHINA’S MANY VOICES DIFFICULTY OF ARRANGING SETTLEMENT United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Corvrich’ PEKIN, July 14. Tension has been temporarily relaxed with the withdrawal of the majority of the Japanese troops from Wangping to Fengtai, thus reducing the risk of clashes.

The train service to Tietsin has been partly restored. Mr Denzi-Rokato, Secretary of the Japanese Embassy, said: “It is possible to settle the incident locally, if Nankin does not intervene. Japan doss not want more than the fulfilment of the first agreement, providing for the punishment of the culprits, an apology, the suppression of anti-Japanese agitation, and co-operation with the Japanese against communism." Meanwhile Hopei and Chahar officials insist that this “humiliating" agreement was never signed, at least not by responsible persons. They contend that there have been only verbal truces, providing for a mutual withdrawal of troops from specified points in the Wangping area. UNCERTAIN SITUATION MENACED BY “INDEPENDENT” CHINESE ARMY United Press Association —Bv ElKtrio Teleeranh <'nrvri«ht (Received July 15, 11.55 p.m.) PEKING, July 15. The Japanese at Fengtai have issued a proclamation in Chinese indicating the despatch of troops to north China for the purpose of expelling the Chinese Twenty-ninth Army as opponents to law and order. Competent observers express the opinion that Japan is only awaiting reinforcements, before driving out the entire Twenty-ninth army from Hopei. JAPANESE MILITARY ACTIVITY SCARE IN TIETSIN

United Press Association—Bv Electric Telegraph TIETSIN, July 14. Activity prevails in the Japanese concession schools and other public buildings are being utilised for the accommodation of the wounded arriving from Fengtai. One thousand Japanese, with machine-guns and trench mortars went to Fengtai this evening. A message from Tietsin reports that

the Chinese population was thrown into a panic this evening when 600 Japanese troops, with cavalry and a motor-cycle section, marched through the main street of the Chinese area to Fengtai. Believing that the Japanese were occupying the city, crowds fled, the shops were shuttered, and the trams brought to a standstill. An incident was averted when Chinese militiamen, who had held up the Japanese were instructed to permit them to proceed. CHINESE FORCES MASSING READY FOR EVENTUALITIES United Precp A*f<>. -.Minn— Bv Electric Teleernrh Conrrlght Six Centra! Government divisions, under the dictatorship of General Chiang-Kai-Shek, largely Germantrained, have left for the borders of the Hopei ’province in preparation for eventualities.