CHINA CONFLICT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20055, 29 September 1939, Page 6

CHINA CONFLICT

PEACE BASIS CHUNGKING ATTITUDE THE NINE-POWER TREATY TIENTSIN INCIDENT RAID ON PRESS OFFICES (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Sept. 29. 9 a.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 27. Tlie Chungking correspondent of the United Press of America slates that the Chinese Foreign Minister, Chung Hui, suggested that the United States Government was in a favourable position to act as a mediator to bring the Sino-Japanese hostilities to an early end. He outlined as the basis of an honourable peace firstly, the enforcement of the Nine-Power Treaty and secondly, economic cooperation of all friendly nations, including Japan if she were willing to co-operate on a basis of equality.

“So far unfortunately Japan’s idea of co-operation has been really Japanese domination of China. On this basis we can never co-operate," Chung Hui declared. "Japan has no chance to execute the programme on which she embarked in 1937. She already is very weary and realises that she is ringed in by nations pledged to enforce the Nine-Power pact.’’

A report from Tientsin states that six armed Japanese plain clothes men raided the United Press office and the American radio service building. They ransacked files and read letters in the United Press office. They slapped a Chinese employee. The radio service has been sending American commercial messages since the establishment of the Japanese censorship and also i.ncensored press messages operating under a British Concession license with the co operation of the American Chamber of Commerce. The intruders drew revolvers when the radio service proprietor, Mr. Wab Nichols, ordered them off the premises and prevented the seizing of a batch of incoming messages. The Japanese remained until the arrival of the chief of police of the concession.

Both offices reported the incidents to the British and American Consulates.