Paris, Mar. 7.
Commenting on the intervention of the League of Nations in the Far Eastern conflict, "Lo Temps" says that it is evident that the League is going through a painful Jexperience which appeared inevitable as soon as the conflict was placed before it for deliberation.
This conflict, says the journal, arose out of the non-recognition on the part of China of Japan's rights. under the treaties, the organisation of the boycott campaign, the impotence of the Nanking government and its inability to shoulder responsibility in the disorders through-the country and out of the initial Japanese error in resorting. to military means to secure justice for itself.
But courts would have taken different. course, had it been a.case of conflict between European states which the Geneva Assembly could intervene spontaneously. with all the authority necessary, as it had done before." Proceeding, lit says that the convenant must be respee!~ fed but it is important expecially to avoid giving a general character a conflict which up to now has remained localised, Tt concludes:
The application of sanctions would create, from this point of view considerable risks."—Havas, league Committee Report A farther report. of the Shang-wu League Committee is published With, reference to our third re= ort, the. hostilities "which come fended en Pebraary 20" continued ithout interruption up to March 1 slong. the line. from. Woorung. to [Chapei, the Japanese attempting, to lentovee, their demand that the 0th Route Army should withdraw from the area specified. in our previous atate an caged uch destruc Fighting was of a very severe
ion among the villages and isolated buildingy tu the area of hostilities.
On February 28, Jananeee planes lwombed and destroyed Hungiue acrox drome, and on February 30 boned the Hlangehow aerodrome, On February 29, the Japanese (Consul-Ceneral" notified the. Mayor of Greater Shanghai thatthe Japan ese had information that the Chines military "were concentrating "Fein: foreements around Shanghai by means of the railway, Therefore, this concentration continued, the Japanese forees, in" self-defence, might be compelled to destroy. the railway line and military trains be ween Kashing and Shanghai and between Soochow and Shanghai on land after March 2." The period of grace was given to allow Chinese civilians to evacuate these arcas.
Chinese Mayor's Reply The Mayor at once replied stating that since the night of January 28, the Japanese forees had repeatedly invaded Chinese territory and mur Jdered Chinese people, "committing atrocities in violation of internation Jai law and treaties, and. offences against humanity. "The action of the Chinese troops had, on the other hand, been confined to self-defence, jand if the Japanese forces should Jeontinve to attack the Chinese ores the latter would be compelled to defend themselves and all. re-Isponsibifity in this connection must rest entirely with' the Jupanese.
The 13th Japanese division rived in Chinese waters on February 28 and 20," Some of these troops were landed at Woosung, bit. the main body. was disembarked near tairn, Body wan, disembarked near [H1uPo on, the Yanglsa after pre~ mary Gonbardment of the Shih, lin Forts in that, neighbourhood. Some troops were landed tlement on February 29. and on receding days, but the J maintained that these were replot ments for the th Division and 211 Mixed Brigade, On March we explosions took place inthe Whangpoo close ese state another
by sh: authorities are merged money laid by Chinese in an the main body attempt to destroy the vessels.
Tu the early morning of March 2, Japanese aeroplanes in fulfilment of the threat made on. February 2 destroyed a portion of the Shangha Nanking railway Uaick near Quine Gin the afternoon of March 1, fire broke out, in Chapel which develop-Jed into a huge conflagration causing enormous damage. Tt ix not certain which side was responsible, Japanese Offensive Launched The landing of the 1th Division near Litho exposed the flank of the [Chinese position, At the same time [Japanese launched a strong. olfenfive in Kiangwan area and about 4 vain, on March 1 Chinese military authorities issued orders for general withdrawal from the whole Shang-including "Nantao Longhua," Japanese followed wp the retreating Chinese forces and midday March 3 had occupied the whole area as far West as Kiating: Jand Nanziang.—Woosung, "which had mot' been evacuated "at same as rest of the area, Was saulted and occupied by the Japanese forces on the morning of March in afternoon the Japanese commander issued pouncement that as the. Chines Forces had retreated out of the area designated in the Japanese demands dated February 18, thereby remov-jing the menace to the safety of Sapanese nationals as well as of the International Settlement, he had jekded to order the Japanese forces to halt, for the time being, at the point actually held and to stop fightting provided the Chinese forces did Met Yesort to further hostile action, Japanese naval commander issued announcement in the sane sense. In the evening Chinese commander also announced that he had ordered all
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.