Evening star., 1939-06-16
Britain Will Strike
Il Rights Restricted, i,
japanese Warned
Immediate and Active
Steps Threatened by
Foreign Office
Bv the Associated Press.

oH tAe hSSOCldteO TIeS8.
LONDON, June 16-The British
government declared today that any
attempt to restrict British rights in
China would bring immediate and
active steps" by Britain.
The foreign Office took the unusual
step of issuing a communique to ex-
press concern over statements by
Japanese spokesmen that Japan de-
manded that the British authorities
cooperate with the japanese in the
construction Of new order in the
East"
The communique said:
British circles cannot but take a
serious view of the further demands
which have been made and which
raise the widest issues affecting the
rights Of all those powers which
have treaty rights in China
They would mean the abandon
ment under threats of force of the
policy which his majesty's govern
ment have followed in the past,
which is the same as that Of other
great powers with interests in the
Far East"
Crisis Continues.
The communique was issued as
the Japanese-British crisis in China
continued, with the Japanese Army
blockading the British and French
concessions in Tientsin.
1T is still hoped that the Japa-
nese authorities may not maintain
their refusal to give further con-
sideration to the proposals which
have been made to localize the in
cident," the communique con-
tinued
But if, unhappily, the new de-
mands foreshadowed from official
Japanese sources in North China
should be persisted in, then 1t must
be said at once that an extremely
serious situation will arise and that
the British government will have
to consider what immediate and
active steps they can take for the
protection Of British interests in
China"
The blockade of the British and
French concessions at Tientsin grew
out of the refusal of British au-
thorities there to hand over four
Chinese accused by Japanese of kill
ing a local official. The British con-
tended there was not sufficient evi-
dence to justify surrender of the
Chinese.
Arbitration Proposed.
Britain failed in last-minute
effort to avert the blockade by Of
fering to submit the question to q
tribunal of one Japanese, one
Briton and one neutral. The Japa-
nese refused.
The communique said the British
offer to submit the dispute to q
tribunal had not yet been with
drawn, but added that meanwhile
far graver issues have been raised
by statements emanating from local
Japanese authorities in China"
Recently" it said, ut may be
recalled the British, French and
United States governments had
found it necessary to make repre-
sentations to the department of for
eign affairs in Toxic regarding
statements by a spokesman of the
japanese ministry for foreign af-
fairs which seriously threatened
treaty rights of foreign powers in
China.
Such statements have recently
been sharpened in threatening man.
ner by japanese spokesmen in
Tientsin. 1t is clear from these
statements that the surrender of
the four accused men is no longer
regarded as the reason for imposi-
ton of measures against the British
concession"
Concerted Stand Held Necessary.
A concerted stand by Britain,
France and the United States was
believed by diplomatic observers to
be Britain's hope of settling the
crisis over the Japanese blockade of
French and British concessions at
Tientsin.
The House cheered Prime Min
lister Chamberlain's statement yes
terday that the United States was
keeping in closest touch with the
French and British governments
over the situation.
Retaliation Study.
Britain, fearing the long open
door to China trade might be
slammed, kept Board Of Trade ex-
perts busy evolving means Of eco
nomic retaliation.
Informed sources believed such
measures might be announced soon
II Japan did not withdraw from the
position taken by army authorities
(Hee LONDON. Page A-4.)