A Party Now Favouring Special Conference in Peking Tokyo, Dec. 6, Though not admitted officially, there is good reason to believe that the Cabinet is divided in opinion regarding the attitude Japan should adopt towards the situation in China, Certain Ministers, it is asserted, advocate a special conference of the Powers to be held at Peking to consider fitting action, whilst it ie understood that the Premier—and other influential Ministers are supporting Baron Shidehara, the Foreign Minister, who is desirous of continuing to take the most liberal attitude possible and of adopting the negative policy of ensuring protection of Japanese nationals but taking no positive steps, Tt is understood that Mr, Saburi and Mr, Lampson are working very harmoniously together. They are conducting "independent investiga. tions but are exchanging views very frankly, They are expected to pro-Jeced to Peking together from Hun-
Though the official views regarding the Chinese situation are up-parently divided, it is understood that there is a growing belief in well-informed circles that the North and South will reach a compromise within few months without forcing decisions in battle—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.