Evening star., 1939-08-18
Britain Bars
Economic. Issue
lin Toxic Talks
Consultation With
Pact Signotories
Held Necessary
BY the Associated Press.

LONDON, Aug. 18.-Great Britain
today rejected japanese demands
that economic questions be included
in the discussions now going on in
Toxic on the Tientsin dispute be-
tween the two powers.
Official circles said the British
Ambassador, Sir Robert Leslie Crai-
gle, had informed the japanese gov
ernment of this decision.
Japan was said to have been told
that any discussion of economic
questions must be referred to all the
signatories of the nine-power treaty
and other relevant treaties.
The nine-poWer treaty was signed
February 6, 1922, in Washington by
the United States, Belgium, the
British Empire. China, France, Italy,
Japan, the Netherlands and Por-
tugal
The signatories undertook, among
other things, to respect the SOW
ereignty, independence and terri
torial and administrative integrity
of China, to maintain the principle
of the open door and to refrain
from taking advantage of conditions
in China in order to seek special
rights or privileges which would
abridge the rights of nationals Of
friendly states.
There was no statement as to
whether the British government
might have in mind general con-
ference of these signatory powers.
A government spokesman said that
it was possible to get the views of
the other powers by consultation
and that no definite decision had
been reached as to what course
would be pursued.
The spokesman said considerable
progress had been made in the
Toxic talks toward British-Japanese
agreement on police control in
Tientsin-one of the differences
which led to the japanese blockade
of the British and French conces-
sions
Since then, the official explanation
related, the japanese have de-
manded that Britain prohibit the
use of Chinese national currency in
the Tientsin concession and further
that Britain should hand over Chi
nese silver reserves in the conces-
sion amounting to about 1000 900
American dollars
Denies Issues Are Local
Britain has reached conclusion
that not only is it impossible to re-
gard these questions as purely local
issues" the spokesman said, but
they must be regarded as issues
which vitally affect the interests of
other powers.
Therefore no useful results can
be attained by pursuing these mat
tiers on a purely Anglo-Japaness
basis.
In other words, if there are to be
further discussions of these matters
arrangements must be made to take
into account the views of other
powers. These questions cannot be
excluded from any final discussions,
but all parties to the nine-power
and other revelant treaties must be
given an opportunity to express
their views.
This decision was reached en-
tirely by ourselves. Other parties
to the nine-power treaty are now
being informed
Moscow Talks Progress.
An optimistic prediction that
final steps" would be taken soon to
conclude political phases remain
ing in the way of agreement bv
Soviet Russia with France and
Great Britain on mutual aid pact
came from well-informed quarters.
Ofhclal circles, meanwhile, insisted
the government saw no new CAUSE
Tor alarm in this weeks European
developments. This view of the re-
cent intensification of international
political and military activity was in
a degree reflected in the attitude of
the average British citizen.
Talk OF speedy conclusion of the
British French Soviet agreement
followed reports that the military
staff discussions of the three powers
IN Moscow were proceeding quickly
and we'll"
Chamberlain to See Halifax.
Prime Minister Chamberlain will
consult here Tuesday with the for
elgn minister, Lord Halifax, and
other key cabinet members and some
observers expected a resumption of
negotiations on political aspects of
the pact to follow These. snagged
on definition of indirect aggres-
slon,' were showed into the back
(See LONDON, Page A-4)