DEMAND REJECTED

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 164, 29 July 1937, Page 5

DEMAND REJECTED

•Presa ABSOciafciort.)

Another Japanese Ultimatum Presented A MAJOR C0NFLICT?

(By Telegraph—

WELLINGTON, This Day. The Chinese Consul fiaa received the t'ollowing cable from Nanking: — The Chinese authorities at Peiping fiad decided this afternoon to reject tfie Japanese demand for witfidrawal of units of the Twenty-ninth Army from Beiping and tfie vicinity within a specified time. Tfie Japanese military presented an ultimatum yesterday, demanding (1) that units of tfie Thirtyseventfi Division at Lukou Chiao area retiie to Chan Lsin-tien before noon to-day; (2) tfiat otfier units of tfie same division inside Peiping and Hsiyuan retire westward to tfie Yangbmg river before Wednesday at noon; (3) immediately after tfie evaouation of tfiese areae the wfiole of tfie Thirtyseventh Division must witfidraw to Paoting. According to tfie latest information received serious figfiring occurred on the outskirts of Peiping and all along tfie railway between Peiping and Tientsin. Tfiougfi details are at present unavailable, Nortfi China seems on tfie eve of a major conflict. Tfie Chinese foreign spokesman stated tfiat although responsibility for tfie outbreak of the Lukoucfiiao incident does not rest ■with Cfiina, tfie Chinese Government is anxious to preserva peace in East Asia, and fias consistently strived for a paciiic settlement tfirougfi regular diplomatic cfiannels. Tfie Chinese Foreign Minister repeatedly proposed a definite area to be fixed for mutual withdrawal of troops. Unfortunately, Japan not only refused to accept the Chinese propdsals, but persisted in rfending large reinforcements to Nortfi China. In the meantime, settlement was agreed upon by tfie local Chinese military authorities. Tfie Central Government raised no objection's to the terms of settlement, which. are not fundamentally inconsistent witfi tfie position it fias taken. Tfie Chinese Government 's extreme forbearance in tfius endeavouring to preserve peace must bo flain to all c-bservers. On the other fiandt Japan not only failed to witfidraw fier troops, but continued to send heavy reinforcements into tfie Peiping and Tientsin area, . Unprovoked Attack. On tfie nigfit of July 25 Japanese iroops made an unprovoked attack on tfie Cfiinese garriison at Langfang, during wfiicfi a large number of Japanese bombing planes were brought into action. The "Japanese further presented impoesible demands to tfie Cfiinese local authorities, and staged a rapid succession of provocative acts on tfie outakirts of Peiping. All these clearly indicate that tfie Japanese are bent on aggrevating tfie present crisis witfi a view of achieving tfieir sinister aesigns on North Cfiina. Cfiina fias exfiausted fier efforts for peace, and responsibility for future developments in North Cfiina rests solely witfi Japan. A further communication to tfie Consul reads: — Cfiinese troops recaptured Fengtai and Langfang this morning. ligfiting is progressing in favour of tfie Chinese forces at Tungchow Bector. Two squadrons of Japanese planes raided Nanyuan and Deiping tfiis morning, dropping bombs and propaganda leaflets. General Sung Cfiefi- Yuan's circular telegram received fiere tfiis morning declares tfiat continuous Japanese provocations compelled Cfiinese forces to offer stern resistance for the eake oi uational existence. Siuce tfie commencetuent of general fiostilities in Peiping and Tientsin area yesterday afternoon Cfiinese troops gained the upper hand in all sectors. Fengtai, tfie base of tfie Japanese military operations, was reeovered at 8.40 o 'clock, and Langfang at 9 o'elock this morning. Japanese troops are evacuating Tungchow, tfie seat of tfie East Hopai puppet regime, tfie capture of wfiicfi is imminent, Eleven Japanese planes boffibed Peiping and suburbs at 5.30 o'clock. Tfio extent oi the damage is at present unascertainable. One Japanese bomber was shot down at flsiyuan, and seven wero seized wfien Cfiinese occupied Ofiat Chiteng airileld, southward of I'eiping,