LTHOUGH. it was first hoped that the Sino-Japanese crisis was yielding to moderating influences, the situation developed "on: July 18 on unfavourable lines.
Late in the evening, reports "both from Tientsin and from Nanking gave ita much graver turn. It, was felt that the next two days would see the issues of peace or war decided, dhe Japanese Government Presented through its Charge @'Affaires at Nanking a definite demand that the Chinese Government should stop' anti-Japanese writings in the Chinese press and refrain from taking action'in the movement of troops to prejudice the negotiations in, Tientsin, Conflicting. information was received regarding those negotia~ tions. One report from ypanése sources asserted: that General Sung Cheh-yuan had called on the Japanese Commander and had duly apologized for the Marco Polo Bridge incident and undertaken to comply with Japanese demands for the removal of the 37th Division from certain areas in Hopei, for the punishment of the Chinese commander responsible for the alleged incident at Marco 'Polo Bridge, to suppress anti-Japanese propaganda and to. join the anti-Communist Front. Other reports asserted that General 'Sung: Cheh-yuan: had'left' for Paotingfu.and that the apology and acquiescence in. the: Japanese terms had been conveyed by the Mayor of: Tientsin., Domain
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.