Secret Talks in Washington to Neutralise Manchuria ai ind Philippines ERTAIN secret. discussions among diplomats are reported from Washington with vie w to exploring the possibilities for a solution of the Far Eastern problem. It is suggested that should America give the Philippines complete independence and that the islands' sovereignty is guaranteed by neutrality treaties, Japan will be willing for a similar step in regard to Manchuria.
Japanese criticism of the Lytton Report is becoming more sober with the passage of time and after a dispassionate study of the whole document a far calmer view has come to prevail. It is stated that the original tendency to condemn the document thas given place to a more level-headed judgment, document containing Tokyo "observations" on the Report is being taken to Geneva by Mr. Matsuoka. Although its contents have not been made public, it is understood that attention will be drawn to the unsettled conditions in China and that the Lytton proposal for giving temporary international assistance in the internal administration of China may be supported.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.