It is therefore interesting to speculate why this particular place was hit fon og the scene of the "independence movement." The explanation would appear to be that it lies on the frontier line between the zone and [Chinese territory proper. In fact, fs the precise Japanese authorities have pointed out, one-third of the town Ties in the "demilitarized. zone, and the other two-thirds in Chines territory. Hence. by the way, the indignation of the Japanese Military' attache when he heard, on his return from Shanghai, that Gen. Shangchen had ventured fo send troops to suppress the rising.
Obviously, if Hsiangho had been entively in the territory that they fully control, the Chinese authorities would have had no dimteulty in nipping the trouble in the bud. While, if it lay further inside the demilitarized zone, they would have washed their hands it, and left it fo the Japanese as zone affair, of which little notice would have been taken by the rest of Hopel. But lying, as it does, im: mediately on the border-line," the authorities were not in a position 10 take any action, and furthermore there ig the danger that the movement might spread to other parts of Hopel. On the other hand, the Japanese could hardly be expected help to suppress it, seeing that two thirds of the place is outside the zone, so that, if they had done so, they' might have been accused of en: proaching an Chinese territory, of which they are always so chary. It is significant that this outbreak at Hslangho seems to have aroused unusual interest, not to say hopes, in the Jipanese press which has been full of headlines proclaiming the start of "The Independence "Movement in North China." According to. the same sources similar movements hat already been reported from othe parts of Hopel.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.