PEACE PREPARATIONS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 243, 13 October 1937, Page 7

PEACE PREPARATIONS

APPARENT IN TOKIO STATE ADVISORY COUNCIL NORTH CHINA OBJECTIVE SUBSTANTIALLY ATTAINED (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, Oct. 11. The Tokio correspondent of The Tinies states that tlie beginning of Japanese preparations lor peace are apparent in the fact that a new State Advisory Council has been approved by Cabinet. It will consist of ten members, of whom four will be from the army and the navy, three will represent politicians, two finance and business, and one the diplomatists. Japan, the correspondent states, has always had to face violent nationalist i agitation when coming to terms of : peace. It is probable that since both the Government and the army have declared they will be satisfied with a lenienr peace in China, the Prime Minister, Prince Konoye, desires to place responsibility for peace on men whose nationalism is unimpeachable, and hence the new Council, which is also designed to end the strife between the totalitarians’ and Parliamentarians’ Councils, will be merely advisory and the supremacy of Cabinet preserved, but as it will be appointed by the Emperor it will exercise a genuine influence on policy. The conespondent adds that Count Terauchi s victory in North China means that the army has substantially attained its objective, the destruction of the Chinese armies as a fighting force in North China. There is little likelihood that he will be able to make a stand in Shuntefu. The Chinese strategy of resisting and retreating is wearing thin. The Chinese forces have offered little resistance to Count Terauchi’s advance during the past few days. The overloaded troop trains which are carrying lhe retreating Chinese south are furnishing targets for the Japanese airmen.

JAPANESE WHALERS . HELD VP AT FREMANTLE. WATERSIDERS’ ACTION. Received Oct. 12, 11.30 p.m. FREMANTLE, Oct. 12. Pursuant to the recent decision not to handle Japanese ships, wharf lumpers here refused to unload explosives and load coal on the Japanese whaling vessel Tonan Maru, which, with five chasers, is the vanguard of several Japanese whaling fleets due to pass through and obtain provisions at this port within the next ten days. The Tonan Maru is now anchored in the harbour.