Poking, Feb, 8. ised zones around. the ties would strike a blow fords who, he declared, ere the main cause of the instabil: ity of China; as. they tunable to exist if the Chang Hsueh-lia getting reads: to take action alone Peking-Mukden railway as part of the supposed plan tore cover the lost territory in Manchuria, 'The' Northern teaders, while greatly anxious to assist the country in the crisis it is now facing, ate extremely short of munitions.
Marshal Chang Hsueh hag no arsenal, whi at Taiyuanfu, the capital of Shansi, was closed a few months ago a has not since been re-opened.
In addition. owing to shortage of money, the numerical, strength of the forces of North China has rently been considerably reduced, Rout Peking, Feb, 7.
Chinese volunteers have made suecessful. counter-attacks on the dapfanese along. the. Tanushan-Tungliao Railway during the past two days.
Severe fighting took place at noon esterday, between the tro. oppor ing side in western Liaoning, when the various "route aries "of the Chinese volunteers along the Tahuriots instead of being enabled to batten on the cities, as they do at present."
He argued that the chief beneies would therefore be the [Chinese merchants, who would be able to carry, on their business While recognising that it was necessary first to erystalise public opinion abroad for what he charac-tensed as "a moral programme rather than a political one." the spokesman expressed the opinion that China might be induced to agree to the proposal if the Powers offered to. give up their extra: territorial rights in all parts China except. in five demilitarized cities, The Powers had not yet, been' sounded offeially, continued the 5] mat matic, representatives abroad okesman, But the Japanese dite: been instructed to seck a suitable Joceasion to broach the idea, either officially or unofficially.
Referring to the proposal to) demilitarise the ity zones, the spokesman emphasised that there }was no intention of retaining the Japanese troops in the Shanghai
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.