Evening star., 1932-02-04
FOREIGN COLONY
IS BELIEVED SAFE
State Department EIated by
Japanese Withdrawal From
u. S. Sector.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

The withdrawal of the japanese
forces from the American and British
sectors at Shanghai is considered by
the State Department as distinct i'm
provement in the Far Eastern Situa-
ton. because it removes the danger OF
that section of the International Settle
ment from becoming the scene Of bat
tie between the japanese and the Chi
neSe forces.
The japanese bluejackets were landed
In the American sector as soon as the
japanese began their military opera
tiOnS In spite of the protests OF the
American consul general and the COM
mander of the American defense forces.
the japanese took over the patrollin9
OF cur sector and were firing at the
Chinese from there
The danger OF a serious clash was
ever present The japanese were firing
at the Chinese, and in accordance with
international law. the Chinese COM
mander of the 10000 Chinese troops
was fully entitled to attack our sector
in order to diSlodge the enemy from an
important military base it had acquired
under the shelter of the immunity OF
the International Settlement.
Representations Made.
Representations were made by the
American and British Governments at
Toxic and while the japanese foreign
secretary was giving us and the BRUSH
the necessary assurance the japanese
forces would be withdrawn, he was
apparently overruled by the military
authorities at Shanghai.
ho Admiral
TAYLOR and $50 Marines on board
reached Shanghai The British re-
ceived still larger reinforcementS. While
neither the American nor the BRUSH
governments intimated to TOXIC that
we shall have to use force to prevent
our settlement from becoming the bat
tie scene of the warning armies, Toxic
understood that We and the British Will
have SUFFICIENT forces to back our re-
quest that the Japanese be Withdrawn
from the British and the American sec
tors
This morning the State Department
received official reports from Consul
General Cunningham and from Admiral
Taylor that the japanese headquarters
and the Japanese bluejaCketS had been
definitely withdrawn from our sector
and that the japanese guards placed
around the cotton mills situated on the
edge of the British and American sec
tor had also been withdrawn. Amer
ican and British Marines are now
guarding those mills With the jap
anese sailors we're withdrawn the jap
anese irregularS who had been assisting
the regular troops These irregulars
were worrying us more than the sailors
because of their jingoism and lack Of
responsibility.
Chinese Resist StubbornIy.
Reports from Shanghai this morning
indicate a fierce battle is in progress,
and the Chinese troops are putting up
a stubborn defense in spite of the heavy
Smelling Of all the Japanese warshipS
which have opened fire on the Chinese
with all their guns. OF course, the Jap
anese are, for the time being, outnum-
bered in l0to-l proportion. The
japanese confined their action to artil-
lery fire and are not expected to take
any decisive action until the mixed
brigade reported to have sailed from
Japan two days ago is landed in Shang-
hal AS soon as the regular army is
landed, it is not expected that the Chi
nese win be able to offer much resist
ance to the japanese tank regiment
as the Chinese do not possess any anti
tank guns.
Whatever the issue of the battle may
be, the State Department is confident
the International Settlement is no
longer exposed to any invasion and is
no longer in danger of becoming the
scene Of battle There are enough
forces in that settlement to prevent
either faction from invading it. For
this reason the situation is considered
easier. Our principal interest in Shang-
hal is to protect the lives and property
Of our citizens
This is being done by the combined
British American forces.