FAR EASTERN TURMOIL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 42, 19 February 1932, Page 7

FAR EASTERN TURMOIL

APPREHENSION GROWS FURTHER PEACE EFFORTS A CONFERENCE OF GENERALS , Received Feb. 18, midnight. SHANGHAI, Feb. 18. Settlement residents are . becoming daily more apprehensive, following yesterday’s severe shelling, which re wilted in the deaths of two blueand eight Chinese. A bomb placed in a doorway this morning of the Mitsui Bussan Kaisha office, in the heart of the city, exploded with terrific force, killing one Chinese outright and injuring three pedestrians and shattering the front of the building An effort is being made to-day to arrange a conference between Lieut.General Uyeda and General Tsaitiag kai, commander of the Chinese Nine teenth Route Army, in a final effort to persuade the Chinese forces to withdraw and avoid issuing an ultimatum to withdraw for 12j miles. Firing practically ceased last night. JAPAN AND THE LEAGUE AMERICAN COMMENT Received Feb. 18, 8.45 p.m. NEW YORK, Feb. 11. The New York Times’ Washington correspondent states that the State Department has received reports that Japan’s reply to the League of Nations contended that the Japanese would not undertake to occupy Chinese soil indefinitely if the Chinese withdrew from Shanghai. This, however, is construed as a direct intimation that Japan might attempt to hold Chapei district permanently as a settlement area for nationals, and is causing some concern. It is also expected that the State Department will shortly instruct Mr Forbes to again protest against Japanese troops landing in the International Settlement. QUESTIONS IN COMMONS ARMAMENTS FOR JAPAN LOXIDON', Feb. 17. In the House of Commons Sir John Simon told Mr Maider that the Government did not propose to consider an investigation to the Council of the League to put into force Article XVI. of the Covenant for the withdrawal of Ambassadors and the establishment of a blockade of the Japanese seaboardThe Government regard it as most improper to judge a matter which was coming for judicial consideration before the League of Nations, of which Britain was a member. Mr. Colville informed Mr. Tom Williams that licenses had been granted recently for the export of armaments to Japan. Mr. Harris: Is it not undesirable to continue these exports which are war!” Mr. Maxton: Will the Chinese have equal facilities for purchasing armaments! Mr. Colville: The licenses have hitherto not been withheld in either case. Sir John Simon, replying to further questions, said that Britain would continue to act in the Far East in conjunction with the League and the United StatesMr. Maxton: Is the League doing anything effective! Sir John Simon: It is doing its beat. APPEAL TO JAPAN TEXT OF* THE NOTE OBLIGATIONS RECALLED [ British Official irelesa ] RUGBY, Feb. 17. The Far Eastern situation was the subject of several questions addressed to the Foreign Secretary in the House of Commons. Replying to Mr. Lansbury, Sir John Simon said that the League Council, other than the Chinese and Japanese representatives, had addressed a Note in the nature of an appeal to Japan in the following terms: — “As the President of the Council, on behalf of his colleagues, pointed out on January 29 in his appeal addressed to both parties, good relations between the States can only be secured by co-operation and mutual respect, and no permanent solution can be achieved by force, whether military or merely economic. The longer the present situation continues the wider the breach between the two peoples will become and the more difficult the situation will be, with all the disaster it would mean not only to the two nations directly involved but to the world in general. The twelve members of the Council, other than the Chinese and Japanese representatives, feel constrained to. make a pressing appeal to the Government of Japan to recognise the very special responsibil ity for forbearance, and restraint which falls upon, it jn the present conflict in virtue of the position of Japan as a member of the League of Nations and a permanent member of its Council. The situation which has developed in the Far East during the past months will be fully studied bv the Commission appointed with thj consent of both parties, but since the Commission was set up there have occurred and are still occurring events in Shanghai which have intensified public anxiety throughout the world, which endanger the lives and interests of the nationals of numerous countries, add to the unexampled difficulties with which the world is faced in the present crisis, and threaten to throw ngw and serious obstacles in the path of the Disarmament Conference. The twelve members of the Council are far from discounting the grievances advanced by Japan and throughout all these months have given her full confidence, which thev an associate of lone stand ing who has ever been punctilious in the fulfilment of all her obligations and duties as a member of the com-

munity of nations. They cannot but regret, however, that she has not found it possible to make full use of the methods of peaceful settlement provided in the Covenant and recall once again the solemn undertaking of the Pact of Paris that the solution of international disputes shall never be sought by other than peaceful means. They cannot but recognise that from the beginning of the conflict which is taking place on her territory, China has put her case in the hands of the League and agreed to accept its proposals for a peaceful settlement. The twelve members of the Council recall the terms of Article g of the Covenant, by which all members of the League have undertaken to preserve the territorial integrity existing and the political independence of all members of the League. It is their friendly right to direct attention to this provision, particularly as it appears to them to follow that no evasion of territory, integrity, and no change in the political independence of any member of the League, brought about in disregard of this article, ought to be recognised as valid and effectual by members of the League. Japan has an incalculable responsibility before the public opinion of the world to be just and restrained in her relations with China. She has already acknowledged this responsibility in the most solemn terms by becoming one of the signatories of the Nine-Power Treaty, whereby the contracting Powers expressly agreed to respect the independence and the territorial and administrative integrity of China. The twelve members of the Council appeal to the Japanese high sense of honour to recognise the obligations of her special position and the confidence which the nations have placed in her as a partner in the organisation for the maintenance of peace.” WATERFRONT BOMBED CHINESE CAUSE DAMAGE SHANGHAI, Feb. 17. As a result of the Chinese shelling the dock areas and injuring two British sailors, eight Chinese were killed and over a score injured. The damage within the Settlement was extensive, and in the vicinity of Chapei and Kiangwan buildings were wrecked and foreign houses and a foreign factory were badiy damaged. Two popular cafes and a Japanese theatre were hit in the northern district. The Chinese were apparently directing their fine towards a Japanese battery located behind the council’s Hongkew Park, but their marksmanship was extremely poor. It is believed that the shells which fell on the waterfront were intended for the Japanese transports lying in the vicinity of Hongkew wharf. The British authorities have lodged a strong protest. BRITISHERS DEAD ADMIRALTY’S REPORT [ British Official Wirelesa. ] RUGBY, Feb. 17. The Admiralty has received a report from the Commander in-Chief in China that at 5 o’clock this morning (local time) two naval ratings of H.M.S. Suffolk, H. H. Francis, of Chatham, and H. G. Prior, of Portsmouth, who were part of the guard on duty at Hongkew wharf, Shanghai, were seriously injured by Chinese shell-fire. Both died later in the day. CANADIAN AIRMEN SERVICES TO CHINA OFFER TO AMBASSADOR OTTAWA, Feb. 17. Eighty Canadian army fliera, who have been released as the result of the Government economy, to-day offered their services to the Chinese Consul for Shanghai. The offer has been forwarded to the Chinese Government. The Government has refused a request by British Columbia to send a special Ambassador to China.