Britain Clings To View That Peaceful Solution Is Possible: Protection Measures Tokyo. Aug. 20.
Japan lust night requested Britain to'lend other Powers in bringing their influence to bear upon Nanking to demilitarized tone". 2 'This demarche constituted Japan's reply to the British proposal for a Joint withdrawal of both Chinese and Japanese forces from the Shanghai area communicated to Mr. Kensuke 'Horinoueht, vice-minister for Foreign Affairs, by' Mr, J. L, Dodds, British chargé'dalfaires, on Wednesday. The British representative announced the Yorcliness of his government and of other Powers to accord Japanese lives and properly the necessary protection the ease of such a mutual and simultaneous withdrawal of com=
The principal cause of the present hostilities, Mr. Horinouchi is under-ood to have emphasized in his reply, was the violation of the. Shanghai Truce Agreement of 1932 by the Chi-nose, who sent regular troops into the demilitarized zone, This action of the Chinese forces. the Japanese communication pointed out, constituted a grave menace against Japenese lives and property, In uch circumstances, Mr. horinouchi was understood to have Weclared, it would be "impossible" for Japan to agree to leave the grave task of protecting Japanese lives and property in foreign hands in view of the existing danger.
'White Japan was anxious to see an early cessation of the hostilities by the withdrawal "of Chinese regular forces to outside the demilitarized zone, it hoped that the Powers, who used' thal good offices. in. bringing about the 1092 Truce agreement, would bring their influence to beat upon Nanking to cause the evacua-ion of the Chinese.—Domel,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.