Evening star., 1932-02-19
TOXIC PLANS HEAVY
RElNEORCEMENTS TO
TROOPS IN SHANGHAI
during the japanese lombard
Continued From First Page


early as 7 am Saturday (6 pm, E. S.
7. today if the Chinese Armys front
lines are not evacuated.
OftlcialS said the evacuation area has
been outlined with view to the safety
Of the ships of all nations entering the
port Of Shanghai and they declared it
was the firm intention of the Japanese
command not to advance beyond the
20kilometer zone even II Chinese
refusal compels an attack.
The foreign Office said official dis
patches from Geneva ''rectifled its
previous advices that the first draft
of the League Councils note emanated
from American sources. A spokesman
said it was now established that the
United States was in no way connect
ed with this draft of the note, which,
he said, was made by Sir Eric Drum
mond, secretary general of the League.
The Minseito and Seiyukai, major
parties in tomorrows election, differ
chiefly on economic issues, especially
the gold standard. which the Minseito
party favors and the Seiyukai does not.
The Seiyukai party, whose govern
ment is now in power, generally favors
imitation and balancing the budget by
loans, adding planks for unemployment
relief and for relief to farmers. 1t
sponsored the present gold embargo
which resulted in a 80 per cent deprecia-
tion of the yen.
The Minseito party advocates rigid
governmental economy and reduction OF
the national debt.
The Seiyukai leaders expressed them
selves as confident of the outcome of
the election, declaring the nation at the
present time welcomes imitation. The
government party which controls the
election machinery nearly always wins
in Japan Besides, the Minseito were
severely hurt by the assassination OF
former Finance Minister Junnosuke
Inouye a few days ago. The election
therefore, was generally considered
merely am opportunity for the electorate
to rubber stamp a change in govern
ment which occurred last December
when Premier Inukai's cabinet sue
ceeded to that of former Premier Wakat-
suki.
Hundreds Arrested.
As usual, hundreds of persons have
already been arrested for alleged In
fringements of the election laws. These
have included several candidates, among
GQem TdQlCdl ldll CoiiaAuooC
who was accused of propagating Com
munism, which Is serious criminal Of
fense in Japan.
At present, however, the Seikuyai is q
minority party in the lower house OF
Parliament 1t holds Ill seats, while
the Minseito has 247.
The military campaigns are not an
issue in the election. Both the Min
seito and the Seiyukai parties are sup
porting the government and the army
and navy in Shanghai campaign. The
only feeble dissenting voice against the
military drive comes from the unim-
portant Leftist proletarian parties. who
have adopted the slogan, Halt the I'M
perialistic war"
They are not likely to gain a single
There are 13,237,oo voters, including
all males over Is years, eligible to vote
for the candidates for 466 seats in the
House of Representatives. Less than
rs per cent of them are expected to vote
however, although in 1880, the last elec-
ton, IS per cent voted
There are ITO candidates, nearly 10C
less than in the 1880 election. OF these
347 are Seiyukai, $50 Minseito, IS Pro-
Ietarian and 48 Independents. The
consensus of opinion forecasts the win
ming of $50 seats by the Seiyukai party
to 215 for the Minseito.