CRITICAL DAYS

Wairarapa Age, 23 May 1928, Page 5

CRITICAL DAYS

JAPAN’S SPECIAL INTEREST IN MANCHURIA. CHANG tSO-LIN AVOIDING SHOW-DOWN. GENERAL SITUATION TENSE. United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph—Copy ri gh t. TOKIO, May 21. To-day’s despatches indicate that Chang Tso-lin is now negotiating with Japan in an effort to arrange an "orderly retreat into Manchuria without fighting a show-down battle against the Nationalists, as he previously announced he intended to do. To Japan the question threatens to assume the aspect of a show-down with regard to her whole policy, and her oftreiterated declaration of “special interest in Manchuria and Mongolia,” as it is believed that submission to Chang Tso-lin’s desires could not but weaken the Japanese position eventually, and might be only temporising wi£h what the w’hole Empire consider a question vital to the national welfare. It is stated that Japan intends to abide by the spirit of the Washington Declaration with regard to China, but contends that any action necessary to preserve Manchurian peace should not be interpreted as violating this spirit. The general tenseness of the situation is indicated by the fact that the wives of the Japanese Minister at Pekin and the Legation Counsellor left Pekin to-day for Tekio, while the total Japanese evacuation since the Tsinan incident has reached five hundred.— (Australian Press Association.—United Service.) , FIGHTING CONTINUES. SOUTHERNERS PROGRESSING SLOWLY. SHANGHAI, May 21. The Northerners are claiming moderate successes on the Pekin-Hankow and Tientsin-Pukow railways, and aver their ability to hold their positions against the Southerners, who, however, are slowly progressing on a middle line, possibly with the result of turning the Tsangehow position.—(Australian Press Association. 7