Evening star., 1932-02-18
StinsOn Denies
knowledge
of Plea.
JAPANESE CALL
ACTION ILLEGAL
Say Council Had
No Right to Speak
for Nations.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
TOXIC, February 18.-Forelgn
Office circles said today official in
formation had reached Toxic that
the first draft of the League OF
Nations Councils note to Japan
yesterday on the Sino-Japanese
controversy had emanated from
American sources.
How Japan would reply to the
note had not been decided late to-
day, but official opinion favored a
reply questioning the legality OF
the Councils procedure, together
with publication of statement TO
the world, issued simultaneously,
answering all the accusations con-
tanned in the note.
The note contained an appeal
to "the supreme sense OF honor
of Japan" asking her to cease
hostilitieS in China and said the
IL neutral members Of the Coun-
Gil earnestly trusted Japan would
admit her obligations and justify
the confidence imposed in her oy
the rest of the world"
Action Declared Illegal.
There are strong indications Amer
lea had finger in this pie" an OFF,
cial said. He declared, however, that
the first draft of the note, which he
asserted was of American origin, was
much more mild in form than the note
which finally evolved from the Coun-
ellis Drafting Committee.
In foreign office circles it was said
the action of the II neutral members
of the Council was irregular. illegal
and entirely inadmissable."
Few members of the Council now
are empowered to act In its name" the
spokesman said. These II councillors
are not diplomats accredited to Toxic,
hence they have no right to address
the Japanese government in the names
of their respective states We intend to
stress these legal objections In our
reply: ,.+
unpleasant impression here, and 1t is
unacceptable because it is addressed to
Japan alone.
Those who sent it assume thereby
that Japan is the aggressor, whereas
the fact is that China IS the aggreSsor
Such a one-sided appeal is unpre-
cedented in the Leagues history. 1t
prejudges Japan and intimates that
the Chinese are in the right. We are
unable to accept any such 1ntlmatlon.
Chinese Advised" to Withdraw.
Reports from Shanghai this after
noon said earlier dispatches declaring
an ultimatum had been issued to the
Chinese by Gen. Kenkchi Uyeda. Jap.
anese commander. we're premature
The Chinese merely had been advised
to withdraw from 1212-mie zone
around the city, the later dispatches
said.
Mai. Gen. Kanichiro Tashiro, Gen.
Uyeda's chief of staff, met with Gen.
Tsai Ting-Kai. Chinese commander,
this morning, they said, and verbally
advised" him to withdraw his l9tn
Route Army from the Chinese area.
At the same time, the reports Salo,
Consul General Mural rendered SINH.
lar advice" to Mayor WI Teh-Cnen OF
Shanghai.
Whether or not formal ultimatum
would be presented later, the dlspatcneS
said, depended upon the Chinese re-
sponse to this advice.
Mai. Gen. Tashiro's meeting with the
Chinese was arranged, the reports salo'
by Sir Miles w. Lampson, British MIN
lister to China, and Mamoru Shigemltsu,
japanese Minister after DR.. Wellington
Koo, former Chinese foreign minister,
had approached Mr.. Lampson and
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