Peiping, Jan. 31.
Marshal Wu Pei-fu this morning in explaining to Japanese and foreign press representatives his peace mission, recalled his endeavours to bring about the settlements during the civil wars in 1919 and 1929. The Marshall pointed out that he is thus justified and obliged to respond to numerous appeals to act as an intermediary in the Sino-Japanese conflict, all the more since the results of the hostilities during the last 18 months clearly showed that the conflict between these two great nations would end with a compete ruin of China without any profit to Japan. All attempts to secure pacification, the Marshal declared, would be in vain from the very beginning unless they were backed up by a sufficient power behind both partners to carry out arrangements.
Marshal Wu stated that he emphasized this point during all his preliminary negotiations, and was happy to say that not only the military authorities in Peiping showed full understanding, but the former Japanese Premier, Prince Konoye, repeatedly declared that Japan had no intention to interfere with China's sovereignty or territorial integrity. Therefore, he continued, there is no reason why a realization of his peace mission should be further delayed.
In conclusion, the Marshal revealed that negotiations in connection with his acceptance of the peace mission had started in November last and were now positively ended. He refused to disclose details of ways and means he will use in pursuit of his task.—Trans-Ocean.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.