Evening star., 1932-07-20
INVASION Of JEHOL
! WORRIES AMERICA
Japanese Efforts to Seize
Rich Chinese Province May
Bring New Note.
BY CONSTANTINE Brown.

The japanese invasion of Jehol, the
rich province between Manchukuo and
China proper, is causing the gravest
concern to the State Department.
According to news received today,
fighting has been going on for two
days between regular Chinese troops
and the japanese. This fighting has
for the time being the character of
advanced guard skirmishes.
However. it is understood that Mar
shal Chang Hseuh Liang is rushing
troops from I'll parts of Northern China
under his control, while the japanese
intend to send two divisions.
Will Resist Drive.
According to reports from Peiping. the
Chinese intend to resist the Japanese
invasion. and while it is unlikely that
the Chinese troops will be able to re-
sist for long the Chinese intend. in
case of defeat, to carry on with their
usual boycott and guerilla warfare.
The American Government is gravely
concerned about this invasion. because
it is considered another breach OF the
Kellogg-Briand pact and of the nine
power pact.
For the time being no definite policy
to be followed by this country has been
decided upon but it is believed in well
informed quarters that the Government
OF the United States will adopt the same
tactics as last January. when the Japa-
pesc completed the occupation of Man.
churia.
That is. the State Department will
Issue again a note to Japan drawing
attention 20 the fact that Japan's &C
items in China are IN fragrant CONTRA
diction with the solemn enga gementS
taken in 1922 and in 1928 and that
america will not tolerate any interfer-
ence with the policy of the open door.
IT is likely that the League of Nations
will be again asked to take some sort
pf an action.
Action No Surprise.
Whether Japan will be impressed with
the new protest of the United States
and whatever measures the League may
take, remains to be seen.
In certain well informed quarters
the japanese action in Jehol has not
come as a surprise 1t was said for
many months that if the japanese
want to consolidate the new state of
Manchukuo they must take Jehol,
which forms the natural boundary be-
tween Manchuria and China.
On the other hand. Jehol is the
account of the opium trade. AS long
as the Chinese warlords have access
to the vast sources of income derived
from the opium trade in Jehol they
will always be able to foment trouble
IN Manchukuo.
Take First ProvOcatiOn.
For these reasons the Japanese gov
eminent has taken advantage of the
first provoca ton of the Chinese-the
kidnapping of a japanese official who
went into that province on an opium
mission-and are doing at present what
thew did last Winter with Manchuria
The belief of certain authorities in
Washington that the Japanese intend
going further and occupy Peiping and
Tientsin is discounted in official quar-
ters
Although Toxic shows a deep con-
tempt to the representations of the
foreign powers regarding the japanese
activities in the Far East. it is con-
sidered here most unlikely that the
Japanese would want to get entangled
with those nations which have import
ant interest in Peiping and Tientsin
Furthermore. the japanese have no
ambitions to enter China proper. If
they can establish final boundary for
the new state Of Manchukuo and extend
their influence as far as the Chinese
Wall. they will be satisfied.
The japanese have just managed to
get out of the ENHANCEMENT caused by
their desire to occupy Shanghai, and
are certainly not prepared, it is stated
to risk another adventure of this kind
again.