Major Battle is Imminent

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 52, 24 November 1937, Page 5

Major Battle is Imminent

-Press Asan,

DEFENCE OF NANKING Chinese Rights at Shanghai Yielded to Japan SETTLEMENT CONTROL

(Bl Trieetapb-

Copvrisht.)

(Beeeived 24, 10.5 a.m.) SHANGHAI, Nov. 23. Bie Chinese are rushing strong' reinforcements to Wushing, from which the civil population, has already fled. A major battle is imminent, A desperate effort mll be made by the Chinese to SbOm the advance o.n Nanking. A Japanese spokesman admitted that the repoxt of the f all of Wusih, China 's Manchester, was pxemature. The Japanese foxces were still five miles fxom the town. The Japanese have begun a heavy bomb&rdment across the Yellow xivex neaf Tsinan, capital of the Shantung province. They set fire to the Hungtai station, causing panic among the residents of Tsinan. A japanese xepoxt says that an airraid at Chowkiaow annihilated the loeal Chinetee air foxee, bringing down five planea which challenged the Japanese and destxoying 20 on the grouml. A Nanking message reports that an aerial Japanese message to Marskal Chiang Kai-shek demanding surrender of the capital has Tbeen delivered, but will Jiot be answered. The proposals of the International Commission of the English, Amexican, German and Danish members for neutralisation of portion of Nanking is to be fiubmitted to the Japanese ConsulGeneral at Shanghai. The proposals include the establishment of a zone north-west of the area of the walled city from Chinese defen^ve works, Chinese entry or Japanese attack. Negotiations are proceeding sinoothly for transferring to Japan the Chinese Administrative machinery of the International Settlement, including the Oastoms and the Post Office. The Municipal Council at Shanghai hu agreed to caxxy out the demands of the Japanese for the handing-over to Japan of the sovereign rights the Chinese formerly exercised in the International Settlement. The council 's spokesman said: "The Japanese are entitled to prevent th© settlement from ibeing used politically on behalf of the Chinese Government. ' ' A Paris message reports: The Foreign Office admits that Japan sent a Note to England and France regardjjng the International Settlement. The con-i. tents of the Note are not revealed. According to a Tdkio mesSage, the Japanese Government is seriously studying the question of ' a declaration of war against China. /