LYTTON REPORT

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 124, 22 November 1932, Page 7

LYTTON REPORT

THE 3IAIN FEATURES

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

The Lytton Report, which was published on 2nd October, was- prepared by a special Commission appointed by, the League of Nations to investigate the situation in Manchuria,.and to make recommendations for improvement of relations between China and Japan. The Commission, which was international in t personnel, included Lord Lytton, an Englishman, Major-General F. McCoy, .an American, General Claude], a Frenchman, Dr. Sehnee, a German, and Count Aldrovand-Mares-eotti, an Italian, and spent some months in the Far East travelling about and taking evidence. .. ■ . The' main features of the report are:— A recommendation that ' China's sovereignty over Manchuria should be maintained, but that . tho provinces should be granted a special administration with a large measure of autonomy. The proposal that Japany.although refused political or,economics control of Manchuria should" have in practice, through appointed advisory bodies, ' . large share in the country's ; administration and should enjoy material rights including the right of Japanese to settle or lease land over the whole area. The proposal that both Japanese and Chinese troops should be withdrawn as soon as an effective gendarmerie, with a foreign head, has been established. The project that a non-aggression Pact should be concluded between the interested parties, including Russia. The suggestion that China should retain control of foreign relations, tho Customs, the Post Office, and the salt taxes and that she should appoint the first executive officer of tho Manehurian Government, if not others. The plan that the railway issue should be settled by conclusion of a working agreement, or by an amalgamation of the railway interests of the two nations. The proposition that if the two countries agree to a settlement the League of Nations should call a conference- at which they and the Chinese and Japanese populations of Manchuria shall be represented. The creation of a demilitarised area to cover Manchuria, with-the provision that if the Soviet Government wishes to v participate in an agreement on this point the necessary terms shall be embodied in a separate Treaty. The conclusion of a commercial Treaty which will aim at encouraging the exchange of goods between Japan and China while granting safeguards to the existing Treaty rights of other nations. It is proposed that this Treaty shall make provision for the suppression by the Chinese Government of boycotts of Japanese goods. The reception of the report by Japan has been hostile." The Government expressed keen dissatisfaction at the nature of the report, and is stated to have threatened to withdraw from the League if that body should shape its policy on the lines laid down by the Commission. It was claimed that Japan's sacrifices in the RussoJapanese War had been ignored and that the Commission had revealed a pro-Chinese bias and accepted evidence of doubtful authenticity. China also was critical of the report, Government circles being reported as regarding the solution of Sino-Japanese friendship as an impossible one made with tongue m cheek." No really authoritative Chinese comment has been published, however.