Evening star., 1932-02-29
PEACE DISCUSSION
RAISES u. 5. HOPES
End of Shanghai Conflict
Believed Hinged on Armies
Exhaustion.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

For the first time in many weeks an
atmosphere of hopefulness regarding
the Shanghai situation prevailed in the
State Department today.
While responsible high officials don't
yet dare to be optimistic, they expressed
hope that negotiations between the
Japanese and the Chinese will lead to
some agreement which will end the
Shanghai conflict.
The principal, reason why it is be-
heved this time the combatants might
come to some understanding is that
both Chinese and Japanese are prac-
tically exhausted The Chinese have
withstood for 80 days a terrific artil-
lery fire. According to neutral military
observers no army, even during the
most important battles Of the World
War, have stood artillery straf1ng for
such long period.
The gunf1re during the World War
was naturally much more powerful but
it never lasted on the same compare
lively short sector of about 16 miles as
long as 80 days.
Besides when the artillery prepara-
ton lasted even a whole week fresh
reserves were always handy and we're
brought to the front line Nothing like
that happened on the Shanghai front.
The Chinese did bring up a certain
amount of reinforcements, but their
batallions were withdrawn only when
they had suffered such heavy casualties
as to make them unable to remain az
unit on the front.
Lack of Ammunition Felt.
The Chinese troops also began feels
ing the lack Of ammunition. The flght-
ing was so prolonged and desperate that
the Chinese were compelled to abandon
the village of Kiangwan, not under the
pressure Of the Japanese attack, but be~
cause the artillery fire prevented them
from burying their dead, and the pes
thence was such that the position had
to be abandoned.
A certain amount of exhaustion was
felt in the Japanese lines as well. They
too, for the last 80 days had to fight
an offensive battle on a 16-mile front
with barely $4,000 men.
On account of this military situation,
it appears that the military leaders on
both sides are anxious to come to soma
might later be Transformed into round
table conference to bring about com-
plete cessation of hostilities.
According to reports from Shanghai
the Japanese representatives seem less
adamant than they we're a fortnight
ago. They are reported to have ex-
pressed willingness to withdraw their
own men from their present positions
provided the Chinese withdraw 12z
miles from their present fighting line.
In view of the fact that the present
| fighting armies are exhausted and that
the japanese realize that If they want
a military victory at Shanghai they
must bring up many more men than
| they are sending, because reports from
Japan indicate the beginning OF f1nan-
ciaI crisis, because the Chinese generals
have accomplished, from the military
point of view, much more than they
ever expected and that they are re-
ported to be satisfied with the results
! of the battle for Shanghai, neutral OBJ
servers in the International Settlement
are inclined to think truce might be
concluded within the next few days.
other Side of the Picture.
There is, of course, the other side
of the picture, which prevents the
State Department from being actually
optimistic. 1t is recognized that we
have to deal with two Oriental nations
whose intentions are always doubtful
and whose actual thoughts we cannot
easely fathom. The American Gov
ernment has been too frequently, in
the course of the last six months, led
to believe the situation in the Far East
was improving and was sorely dislllu-
stoned Just at the time when 1t was
thought everything was developing Ia
vorably.
The Japanese, despite the reported
truce pourparlers, continue to rush re-
Inducements to China, and 1T is con-
ceivable that the military may change
their present conciliatory tone When
they feel the Chinese are actually ex-
hausted and when the Japanese army
IS considered sufficiently strong to un-
dertake a new offensive, the results or
which can no longer be doubted by the
japanese general staff.
The American representatives at
Shanghai, Minister Johnson; Consul
General Cunningham and Admiral
Taylor, are under permanent instruc-
ton from the State Department to
stand by and be as helpful as possible to
bring about a cessation of hoStiities.
Consequently their good offices are al
ways at the disposal of the negotiators.
The same thing applies to the British
and the French diplomatic and naval
representatives at Shanghai. For the
time being it appears that both the
Chinese and the japanese are taking
full advantage Of their presence IN their
negotiations for a truce.