As an essential means to achieve the desired objectives, the Japanese authorities asked the Council to take the following steps:
1—Increase the number of Japanese members of the S.M.P. and raise their status and authority; and 2.—Place Japanese in controlling positions in all the important organs of the Municipal Council.
In the course of the interview, Mr Okamoto called Mr. Franklin's attention to the fact that in the Chinese newspapers of January 1, opposition been declared to the formation of the Shanghai Citizens' Federation by the General Labour Union, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Special Citizens' Federation.
These organizations, Mr. Okamoto asserted, have long been engaged in anti-Japanese agitation, For this reason, Mr. Okamoto requested that the Council take immediate steps £0 that these bodies:
1,—Retract their statements and advertise their retraction in the press; and 2—Be hereafter kept under rigid surveillance of the Municipal Council, The Japanese authorities, Mr Okamoto further informed Mr. Fran-kiln, regard the recent anti-Japanese incidents in the Settlement as a matter of serious concern and regret In view of the importance of the proposals, Mr. Franklin made no immediate reply, promising to make a thorough study of the matter, Questions by the Press One of the journalists at yesterday's press conference, at which the Japanese demarche was read out, asked if the control of the press referred 19 meant all journals, and the spokesman replied that all were included, including the foreign language pape: Replying to another question whether riy English language paper was directly referred to as having delinquent in Japanese eyes, the spokesman said that he "would leave that to your judgment."
"Would the Japanese be prepare io exercise censorship over the foreign press?" asked another—"We would have to wait and see whether the Council has acted sufficiently Regarding Concession merce in supplying various necessary materials to the Japanese forces which were paying for such purchases under requisitioning regulations Several fires, which had occurred at Hangchow, took place outside of the city, Inhabitants who had evacuated the city were gradually returning, while about thirty foreigners in the city were faring well About ten non-combatant Chinese had lost their lives in the process of Japanese occupation, Most of th the officer said, were looters who had taken advantage of the interregnum between the withdrawal of the Eh nese and the arrival of the Japanese.
In the 28 refugee camps in the city, the spokesman added, were many ex-beggars who had suddenly become rich from looting
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.