Gen, Hata's Appointment and Need for Discipline Washington, Feb. 19.
United States Government author!- ties here (monday appeared to welcome reports of the withdrawal of General wane Matsui, Commander of Japanese Expeditionary forees in Central China, The reported appointment of Gen eral S. Hata, Inspector-General of Military Education, was regarded as the result of Japan's need for bert discipline among Japanese troops occupied areas of China and an effort by Japan to terminate the Sino apanese war at an early date, The "Washington Evening Star estimated to-day that the first Keven months of the war had east Japan removal of Matsui," the paper said, "tells louder than words the full story of Japan's blasted hopes of wick victory in China Japan's mobilization programme was regarded here as another evidence of Japan's intensifeation of efforts to bring the war to an end as soon ay possible, 'OMieial circles here welcomed the appointment of General Hata to-stic~ ced General Matsui because of their belier that, good discipline among the Japanese troops in China would be conducive to better relations between Japan and neutral powers in the Orient through the elimination of bombing and artillery attacks on for eign warships and a curtailment of ooting Incidents, 'The lack of discipline among Japanese troops in China, it was pointed out, had practically' cost Japan. the friendship. of the United States United Press.
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