TINDER AWAITING SPARK

Hokitika Guardian, 23 February 1933, Page 5

TINDER AWAITING SPARK

JAPAN’S ULTIMATUM TO CHINA

FEVERISH PREPARATIONS FOR WAR

WIM SCALE HOSTILITIES ANTICIPATED

(United Press Association —By

Electric Telegraph.—-Copyright.)

SHANGHAI, February 22.

JAPAN’S PURCHASE OF SHIPS

Feverish preparations continue at Nanking and in .the North China, cities, particularly in Peking, where the hospitals and depots for the reception of tb& wounded are in readiness.

REASONS' BEHIND THE ACTION,

LONDON, February 22

Civilian organisations are working and day in preparing the usual wa<r comforts» Thousands of troops, are passing through the city along the single road leading to Jeliol, which road is being ground to pieces by a continuous stream of motor lorries carrying supplies Men, camel transports, bullock drays, and heavy guinc, are forming an endless procession heading for the formidable natural defences in the Jeliol mountains.

ARMS FOR COMBATANTS

NO EM'BARO BY POWERS,

Re-assuring messages are being broadcast many times during the day, and there are official exhortations to the nation to stand together in China’s greatest crisis. Thu newspapers are stirring the people and are arousing an unprecedented warlike spirit.

RUGBY, February 20

Arrangements have been completed in the capital to broadcast the war news. Loud speakers have been erected at all the main points to enable the people to learn the fortunes of their armies in the north. A Japanese official message announces that an ultimatum will be delivered by Japan sometime to-day (Wednesday), demanding the withdrawal of all the Chinese troops from the province of Jehol, failing with Japan will be compelled to resort to force to 'emove them as a menace which is threatening the peace of Manchukuo.

BRITISH MUNITIONS FOR EAST

COMMENT IN NEW ZEALAND

WELLINGTON, February 22,

There is no danger to the Tientsin or Peking regions, unless the urgencies of military necessity compel a following battle beyond the Great Wall, in order to ensure that disturbing forces will not return.

LEAGUE’S EFFORTS EXHAUSTED

COMMITTEE’S WORK REVIEWED

RUGBY, February 21

When dm extraordinary Assembly of the (League, called to deal with the Si no-Japanese dispute met, M. Bymans (Belgium), who presided, reviewed tho work of the Committee of Nineteen, which has been dealing with the problem.

When this reply was received at to-day’s meeting of the Board, Colonel T. W. McDonald remarked that it was nonsense, when one considered the right of entry into tho schools granted to the Navy League arid other similar organisations. •

He said that they were obliged, to their profound regret, to consider that for their part they had exhausted all possible efforts- at conciliation procedure. Conciliation, of course, be said, was not yet closed, and could not he formally closed until the adoption by the Assembly, of the report. He hesitated to make a new appeal with a view to conciliation for it would be necessary not only that fresh proposals which the Assembly could accept should be made, but also that it should receive an assurance that the existing situation would not he aggravated and fresh operations not be undertaken at the same time. At this very grave juncture, they must not give even an appearance of precipitancy, and as the draft report, was not circulated until last Friday, and as all the governments must be given time to s e nd their instructions to their delegations, lie proposed to adjourn until next Friday when the discussion of the draft report would bygin. After the meeting, the Japanese circulated a statement of their reasons for rejecting the draft report of the Committee of Nineteen.

Remarking that he agreed with' the Department’s reply, Mr T. Forsyth, its chairman, .said that it was rather iron, ical that this subject should come up for discussion this morning. “It makes one feel a little sick,” he said, “to read that Britain, while she is professing to lead the world in disarmament, is guilty of supplying arms and munitions to an ally—a member of the League of Nations, too, who is about to wage war on another member of the League—to learn, in. fact, that she is making a commercial business out of war.”

“It is realised,” asked another member, “that Auckland is selling to one of the combatants the guns that were o-iven to her after the last war?”

The motion was carried by seven votes to six, referring the request back to the Department. '

JAPAN BUYvS CANADIAN IRON,

OTTAWA, February 21

Large Japanese purchases of discarded Canadian National rails, a cargo of which was recently taken from Montreal, is stirring war interest. The real purpose behind the recent. purchase of seven old vessels is said to be to use the scrap metal as shrapnel.

JAPAN DEFENDS HER ACTION

SAYS WAR IS NOT INTENDED

Within two months, five hundred tons of Vancouver scrap metal have been sent to Nagasaki.

TOKYO, February 22

The Japanese Government to-day is communicating with Marshal Chang-Hsueh-Liang, of China, urging China’s compliance with Manehukuo's demand for the withdrawal of the Chinese troops, at present menacing Jehol, and thereby avoiding the necessity of fighting;.

SOVIET’S FAR EASTERN POLICY.

ONE OF NON-AGGRESSION.

The communication emphasises that

it Is not intended to enter upon war with China but that Japan must carry out obligations to assist Miirichukuo to dear the territory of peace disturbers.

JAPAN’S REPLY TO LEAGUE

LONDON, February 22

At Geneva, Japan’s reply to the League Committee of Nineteen appeals to the League Assembly to think twice before iag to any decision. It urges .the implication of principles of the League Covenant, the Nine Power Treaty (guaranteeing Coins’s territorial integrity) and the Kellogg Pant in accordance with the terms with realities.

' LEAGUE’S IN ABILITY TO SETTLE

.Tapan emphasises that nine-tenths of the Lytton Cemmissun report’s principles cannot ho fulfilled without a strong centr 1 Government. Japan objects to the inclusion of Anferican <• ncl Russia, on the proposed committee of negotiations.

NATIONS TO FORM' OWN POLICIES

A well known-shipbreaker says that it is absurd to suggest that Japan is buying the old ships in Britain for war services, as. tile reconditioning of the vessels would be too expensive. He says the fact is that scrap metal is thus obtainable more cheaply than otherwise in Japan which is not the only country buying scrap, many ships are going to Sweden and Italy weekly.

Answering a House of Commons question, regarding the proposal for an embargo on arms exported to Japan or China, the Foreign Secretary (Sir John Simon) cited the phrase used by President Hoover in his recent message to Congress, that “for one nation alone to.engage in such prohibitions, while other nations continue to supply arms, is futility.”

Sir John Simon said that the matter, in its wider aspect involved international questions of complexity, and he could make no further statement at present.

Some time ago the Wellington Education Board suggested to the Education Department that Mr 'Stanley Baldwin’s famous speech on disarmament should be published in a condensed form in the school journal. To this request the Department replied that it thought that the speech was one more suitable for young men and women than for children, or at least for no one younger than the senior secondary school pupils,' holding that it would not be wise I 'to instil fear into the children.

(Received this day at 8.45 a.m.) MOSCOW, February 22. Vorshilov, Commissar of War, addressing collective farmers, emphasised Russia’s intention to pursue a steady policy of peace in the Far East. Nonaggression pacts with several European countries rendered the western frontiers comparatively sale, hut no such guarantees obtained in the Ear East, though diplomatic relations with China were recently restored. Russo-Japanese relations appeared normal, but Japan had rejected the Soviet’s proposal for a non-aggression prut, “apparently paying more attention to imperialistic war waging than cbmmonsenso.” These circumstances must be re-memb-red when arranging defence for f*efr Tastern frontiers.

(Received Feb. 23 at 9 a.m.) LONDON, February 22. The “Times” says that it would be

KOBE’, February 22,

frankly foolish to imagine that the countries composing the League are prepared to fight Japan in order to prevent the Japanese Manchukuan armies from securing the province of Jehol. The Assembly has done its part and countries with interests in the Far East must themselves decide what policy is most likely to conduce an eali-ly restoration of peaceful conditions.

If they decide on a policy of waiting which, in many circumstances, is the wisest course, there is no reason why they should facilitate hostilities bv allowing fresh supplies of arms to reach belligerents.

'ULTIMATUM TO GENERAL CHANG

Following a statement to the League denying the League’s concern about Mauchukuo which is an independent non-member State, and declaring that the settlement of the trouble over Jcliol was an entirely domestic affair, Hsinking, the Foreign Minister, has sent an ultimatum to Nanking, and one to Marshal Chang Hseuh Liang, demanding a reply within twenty-four hours. Fading satisfaction, an immediate advance wil/1 begin for the expulsion of Chang’s troops from the province.

For the past month the Japanese forces have ’been taking up their positions for their advance, and the bombing of Kailu and other places.