The Bismarck tribune., 1931-10-14
NATIONS MAKING
EFFORT TO FIND
COMMON GROUND
League Council Engages in Pri-
vate Study After Pleas
Tuesday
CONFERENCE IN MOSCOW
Japanese Ambassador EXPLAINS
Situation to Russian
Commissar
(By The Associated Press)

(By The Associated Press)
Peacemakers exerted themselves
Wednesday for the preservation of
peace between China and Japan as
preliminary steps for direct negotia-
tions between the two nations result
ed in failure.
The League Of Nations council de-
cided to invite the United States to
join In seeking q settlement Of the
Manchurian troubles between China
and Japan. but encountered Japanese
opposition.
Nelson T. Johnson, American min
Ster to China, and Sir Miles We'd
derburn Lampson. British minister.
reached Marking for conferences on
the situation with Chinese govern
ment officials.
A Mukden dispatch to the Reneo
news agency (Japan) said Japanese
planes accommodating along the line
OF the Mukden-Peiping railway were
fired upon by Chinese troops aboard
military train, and that the Japan
ese retaliated with bombs.
Russia Is Interested
AT Moscow there was a conference
between Maxim Litvinoff, Soviet for
eign comnissar, and Koki Hirota. the
japanese ambassador. Previously
Hirota had provided the foreign COM
mtssar with q written explanation of
JapanS action IN occupying non
treaty zones In Manchuria.
Prentiss Gilbert, American consul
general at Geneva, conferred with
Foreign Minister BRAND Of France,
as also did the Chinese and japanese
delegates to the League Of Nations.
Presumably they sought agreement
on the form Of American cooperation
In league efforts to restore peace.
Insurgent Cantonese 1T Hongkone
said President Chang Kali Shek Of
the Marking government had accept
ed terms for internal peace In China.
American naval vessels In Oriental
waters were diverted from their In
tended routine shore-leave at Che
foo. being ordered to Shanghai in
stead, to avoid any misunderstood
ing.
For the time being, at least, there
will be no further private CONVERSE
lions between Baron Shidehara.
Japanese foreign minister. and
Chang Tso-Pin, Chinese minister to
Japan. The Marking government was
represented as having taken tho view
that any further such talks might be
misconstrued as indicating China's
willingness to enter into direct nego-
tiations with Japan before the latter
evacuated the occupied districts.
Vernacular reports Of the CONVEX
satton here Monday between Chang
Tso-Pin and Baron Shidehara In
dicated the Chinese envoy had in
sisted upon the withdrawal Of Japan
ese troops from Manchuria as pre-
requisite Of any immediate negotia-
tionS.
Demands Assurances
The Japanese foreign minister was
represented as having taken tho at
titude that since his country's prin-
cipal interest In Manchuria was the
protection of Japanese lives and pro-
perty, China would have to give as
surance Of this before japanese SOL
diers could be recalled.
Instead Of seeking settlement Of
the question by direct negotiation
with Japan, China appealed to the
League OF Nations, asking its inter-
vention. Japan has contended before
the league council the Manchurian
problem is one requiring direct uego-
tiations between the two countries,
and not q matter warranting action
by any outside agency.