Evening star., 1932-02-23
JAPAN TO DOUBLE FORCE.
$4,000 Additional Combat Troops to Be
Sent to Shanghai Front.

TOXIC, February % [P).-The Japa-
nese government decided tonight to
double the strength of its army at
there saying that the Chinese defend
ers of le city, during three days fight
ing. had successfully stopped the power
of Japan's attack.
The proposal to send additional
troops to Shanghai was placed before
the cabinet early today by Minister of
War Gen. Sadao Araki following a con-
ference of military leaders which was
| called at Gen. Araki's home shortly
after the messages were received from
Shanghai officials last night.
The appeal for more troops was sent
from Shanghai by Mamoru Shigemitsu
japanese minister to China, and Vice
Admiral Kichisaburo Nomura, COM
mander of the japanese fleet. Lieut.
Gen. Kenkichi Uyeda, japanese army
commander there, was reported to have
refused to join in the request
The japanese army force now al
Shanghai is estimated at $4,000 men
so that with the new reinforcements
If they are sent as authorized. the
army would be increased to SC, 600
about 10000 more men than the Chi
neSe are reported to have on the
Shanghai front
Gen. Araki, in announcing the deci-
sion, said he hoped the sending of re-
Inducements would not be "misunder-
stood" The purpose, he said, was
merely to complete the operations at
Shanghai as soon as possible and pre-
vent further aggravation of what he
considered a situation already grave
Admiral Nomura emphasized the grav-
ity Of the situation in the messages
sent here last night
The most disquieting feature of the
situation on the battlefront at Shang-
hal appeared to be a report that divi-
sions of Gen. Chang Kai-Shek's Nam
king army had joined the Cantonese
10th route army, which has been
Shanghai's defender.
More Chinese Troops.
The reports regarding Gen. Chiang's
troops said that 1000 Chinese soldiers
crossed the Yangtze River from Pukow
to Nanking, while about 5000 more
moved from Nanking to the railway
station outside the city walls, presum-
ably on the way to Shanghai. All Chi
nese troops at Chinkiang, belonging to
Chiangs 88th Division, had gone to
Shanghai, the reports said.
Final returns from the general elec-
ton showed that the Seiyukai party of
Premier Suyoshi Inukai-"the Old Gray
Fox'.-had won an overwhelming VIC
tory The results as announced gave
the Seiyukai party 304 seats in the
Lower Legislative Assembly, while the
Minseito party, which had majority
In the previous session, came out of the
election with only lat seats. The Prole-
tarians secured 5 seats and the other
parties 10.
Toxic Feels Alarm.
The war office said Gen. Uyeda, COM
mander in chief at Shanghai, had not
asked for reinforcements, living up to
the Samurai code, which disdains the
call for help.
But the chief of staff and other high
officials here at Toxic were uneasy at
the mounting danger of the hardfought
battle in the Shanghai area and urged
that more troops be sent
Gen. Uyedas slow progress against
the Chinese 10Th Army was disquieting
enough in itself, these officials said, but
much more alarming were reports
reaching Toxic that units of Chang
Kai-Sheks well-trained army were ar
irving In the battle zone.