London, July 19.
Neither optimism nor pessimism prevailed in British political quarters today regarding the Anglo-Japanese negotiations in Tokyo which were discussed by the Cabinet at its weekly meeting this morning.
All quarters contacted agreed that the parleys "can not be judged as yet since they are only beginning."
In the House of Commons, the Tokyo conversations were referred to when Sir John Wardlaw-Milne, Conservative of Kidderminster, Worcesters hire, asked whether Japan might be informed that retaliatory action would be taken cly Britain if anti British discrimination did not cease.
Sir John's question was, "In view of the increasing action of the Japanese authorities against British trading interests in China, will the Government give notice to Japan that unless the blockade of Tientsin is immediately ended and discriminatory action against British trade in China ceases, definite economic action will be taken against Japan by Great Britain?"
To this, Mr. R. A. Butler, Parlia" mentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, replied, "Conversations have been opened in Tokyo and it is the present hope of the British Govern ment that outstanding questions at Tientsin may be settled by negotiation.""—Havas.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.