RUMOUR DENIED

Hokitika Guardian, 18 January 1933, Page 5

RUMOUR DENIED

U.S.A.-JAPAN PACT ■ ' __ ■ ■ MANCHUKUO NOT RECOGNISED. (United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright; ~ .WASHINGTON, January 16." ' Coincident 1 witn -the, meeting of the League of Nations Committee of Nineteen to consider the Lytton Commissions Manchurian report, Mr Stimison lUintvd States Secretary), has leiterated that the United States policy is that of non-recognition of tlie fiVLaiichuko Republic, as expressed in identic American notes to Japan and China on January 7th., 1932. It was learned autnoritatively today that a notification of this policy has been sent recently -to the United States embassies at Tokio, London and Pans, and also to the chiefs of the American mission to other European capital's, including Geneva. •

Local diplomatic circles are generally of the opinion that Mr Stimson apparently felt that the League of Nations Committee should have a fresh reminder of the American position, thereby enabling it to assume that it has the United States moral support to frame a strong recommendation .for the League Assembly with reference to Japan’s course concerning China. The State Departement has denied a Tokio report that an understanding had been reached between the United States and China, whereby the United States agrees to supply arms and'munitions to China in the case of war between China and Japan.

The amount of American war materials sold to l China is described as negligible.

Another Japanese report evoking the State Department’s denial was that the United States had unofficially approached Japan regarding a convention, for the neutrality of the zone around the Philippines, in the event of independence being granted to the Philippines, with the zone to include islands which the Japanese owned or had mandated to them. Comment has also been refused concerning Tokio advices stating that the Japanese Foreign Office has informally asserted that such a proposal might be approved by Japan should tlie United States take a more lenient attitude towards tlie Manchurian situation.