TENSION EASES in Northern China

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 152, 15 July 1937, Page 5

TENSION EASES in Northern China

-Preaa Aasn.-

j., I-J. — • RISK OF CLASHES REDUCED Japanese Troops Withdrawn To Fengtai PANIC AT TIENTSIN

(Bi Telegraph-

-Cepyright.t

(Received 15, 1,30 p.m.) PEKING, July 14. The tension has been temporarfly relaxed with the withdrawal of the majority of the Japanese troops from Waugping to Fengtai, thns reducing the risk of clashes. The train service to Tientsin has been partly restored. Mr. Denzi-Rokato, Secretary to the Japanese Embassy, said: "It is possible to settle the incident locally if Nanking does not intervene. Japan does not want more than fulfilment of the first agreement, providing for the pnnlshment of the cnlprits, an apology, suppression of anti-Jap-* anese agitation, and co-operation with the Japanese against Communism." Meanwhile, Hopei and Chabar of" Hcials insist that this "humiliating" agreement was never signed, at least not by resppnsibl® persons. They cont®nd thafc there have been only verbal truces providing for mntual withdrawal of tr6ops from specifled points in the Wangping area. A message from Tientsin reports thatu the Chinese population was thrown into panic this evening when 600 Japanese trdops, with cavalry and

a motor-cycle section, marched througb the main street of the Ohinese area to Fengtai. Believing that the Japanese were occupying the city crowds flod, sliops were sliuttered, and traois brought to a standstilL An incident was averted wlieu Ohinese iniUtiamen, ftho had held up the Japanese, were instrueted to penuit tliem to proceed.