Under the heading of "Another Secret Pact'? we published on December 11 an article from a hinese correspondent alleging that the Premier, Chin Yun-peng, and Chang Tso-lin, in pursuance of a pro-Japanese policy, were discussing the conclusion of another secret agreement with Japan. The article further suggested that the announcement of the abrogation of the Military Pact was merely a move with the view of hoodwinking the public. In a note to the article, it may be remembered, we announced that it was published with due reserve.
This article has attracted considerable attention in Peking, and we learn that the Cabinet has discussed the allegation contained therein. As a result of these discussions the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has written a despatch to the Bureau of Foreign Affairs in Shanghai in which a ce-plete contradiction to the statements in question is given. The Ministry states that the suggestions of a further secret pact with Japan are quite unfounded.
It is satisfactory to be able to give the Cabinet's denial to the reports of a new secret agreement, and it is to be hoped that a similar vigilance will be shown with regard to the actions of any political leader whose conduct might give rise to such disturbing rumours.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.