BETTER ATMOSPHERE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20060, 5 October 1939, Page 11

BETTER ATMOSPHERE

TIENTSIN CONDITIONS ANTI-BRITISH CAMPAIGN (Klee. Tri. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 9 a.m. RUGBY, Oct. 3. The Under-Secrelarv of Foreign Affairs, Mr. 11, A. Butler, said in the House of Commons that Russo-Jap-anese hostilities on the outer Mongolian border, the Manchurian frontier, had been brought to a standstill on September 15 on a truce between the Japanese and Soviet Governments. A new Japanese offensive had developed in the provinces of Hunan and Northern Kiangsi and was still continuing. There had been a distinct, improvement in local conditions at Tientsin following co-operation between the British and Japanese authorities in dealing with the flood menace and there had been a welcome diminution of discriminatory treatment of British subjects at the barriers. “But anti-British agitation has pot ceased in Pekin or in the outlying areas in North China under Japanese control,” continued Mr. Butler. “The Admiralty has decided to withdraw from the services of the Yangtse the peace-time patrol gunboats which, with their highly trained personnel, will be employed elsewhere. The British Government maintains close contact with the United .States Government in regard to common interest in the Far East.”