Peiping, Jan, 14.
Prominent Chinese sources fear that the present Is the gravest situation for North China and they consider that, unless the Central Government acts' promptly, the future will see the: establishment of Japanese control over the Morthern provinces.
[Major-General Itagaki. The only [statement issued on the subject says that general problems affecting North China were discussed. It ig believed the Japanese officer's tour of North China "is connected with efforts. to bring Shantung and Shansi into the Jurisdiction of the Hopel-Chathar It Is considered that _a renewal of Japanese plang for a Five Province Aulonomy'are indicated by their pre~ sent activities In Hopel, Charhar, and Shantung. Chinese quarters have deen very much perturbed by the movements of prominent Japanese military leaders, which locally are Intorpreted as a vindication of Major General 'Dothara's demands for th: establishment of" an. administration mere independent of Nanking than 4s] the present Hopel-Crathar Council, 'Special significance ts attached' to the visit Major-General Tagaki_ paid to Mr. Yin Ju-keng at Tungchow to-day," Chinese quarlers considering} that "It is tantamount to a recogni Mien of the independence of East Hopel. The situation at Charhar grave in view of the menacing behaviour of the Manchurian troops 'n the west, who ore marching on Suiyuan, Gen, Sung Cheh-yuan's departure for Tientsin, in anticipation of the arrival of Gen, Doihara, shows the importance that is attached by the local authorities in Tienlsin to the negotiations, Informed quarters state that the Japanese are likely to exert! pressure at Talyuantu, with a view to inducing Gen, Yen Hisi-shan openly to declare his support of the autonomy movement, Gen. Sung Cheh-yuan this morning assumed the post of "Pacification [Commissioner for Hope! and Charhar, and, at the same time, abolished the garrison headquarters here—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.