Evening star., 1931-12-28

prepared to withdraw their troops TO
points within the Great Wall.
Upon a proposal to that effect being
officially made on the 26th, this
government signif1ed their readiness to
accept it in principle ut the same time
instructing the Japanese minister At
Shanghai and the legation at Peiping
to open conversations on the matter
with the Chinese foreign minister and
with Marshal Chang Hsueh-Liang, re-
spectively.
THE japanese Minister in China had
several conferences accordingly with the
Chinese foreign minister between the
3Oth of Novmber and tn Sd Of December.
In the midst of these conversations, the
latter withdrew overture and declined
further negotiation.
Marshal Chang Hsueh-iang, with
whom our representative at Peiping
carried on negotiations on the 4th OF
December onward either directly or
through the marshals subordinates, ex-
pressed his willingness to call In his
Chinchow forces as a spontaneous move
of withdrawal; and he has since given
repeated assurances as to the speedy
execution of his promise.
No Sign Of Retirement.
I'm point or fact however, there Is no
sign of any such withdrawal On the
contrary, the defenses of Chinchow have
since been strengthened.
- Accordingly, at the present mo-
ment, now almost a month subsequent
to the initiation of these negotiations
for the withdrawal of the Chinchow
troops, there appears no prospect OF
obtaining any tangible result owing en-
tirely to want Of good faith on the
Chinese side. At the same time the
increased activity above described on
the part of marauding bands threatens
to bring about the complete destruction
of all peace and security throughout
the whole extent of South Manchuria.
I'm these circumstances, the Japanese
forces have now begun general move
ment with view to campaigning
against the bandits on more extensive
scale than hitherto. 1t is obvious from
what has been said above that the
japanese Army, If it is to achieve any
ching like adequate success, will have
to advance to points west OF the River
Eiao where the bandits have their base.
Certainly the Japanese forces, In
Difference to resolutions OF the League
Council adopted the 30th Of September
and the 10th of December, are not In
the field against regular Chinese forces;
but In the present abnormal conditions
prevailing in Manchuria, necessities OF
the case compel them to continue their
operations against lawless elements.
This Is a point on which the repre-
sentative of Japan at the recent session
of the Council of the League held on
the 10th of December made definite
declaration.
Chinese Held Aggressors.
$50 long as Chinchow military au-
thorities, while Stimulating an uaaggres-
sive attitude, continue to instigate and
manipulate movements OF bandit or
ganizations against the Japanese Army
as we'll as Japanese and other peace
able inhabitants and SO long as Officers
and men of the Chinchow army mingle
in large numbers with these bandit
groups and so render 1t impossible to
distinguish the latter from regular
troops, SO long must the responsibility
for the consequences OF any action
which may be entailed upon the Japa-
nese Army in self-defense rest entirely
with the Chinese.
IS. During the course Of the past
month, in spite of the Indignation
aroused throughout the country by the
behavior of the Chinchow military au-
thorities and in accordance with the
constant desire of the Japanese gov
ernment to abide scrupulously by the
resolutions of the League Council, oper-
ations of the army against the bandits
have been restrained within compare
lively narrow limits and the govern
ments have done everything in their
power to devise means for forestalling
collision between the forces Of the two
countries in the course Of an eventual
anti-bandit campaign.
"The Japanese government are con-
fident that their prolonged forbearance
and their desire strictly to adhere to
of international engage
ments will not fail TO command recog-
milton by the public opinion Of the
world