That is the miserable tale which rings in the ears
of the workers for peace at Geneva. Happily there are some pleasanter facts to record. The active co-opera- tion of the British and United States Consuls-General at Shanghai has been matched by the work of H.111: Ambassador at Tokyo, hand-in-band with the United States Ambassador, in trying to influence the- Civil Government-of Japan. In Washington, too, the British Ambassador has kept our Government in close touch with the State Department. With their work the French and Italian representatives are associated: The first point put to the Japanese Government was the need to preserve the neutrality of the International Settlement. The Chinese had protested that the first attacks started thence. It is most embarrassing that Japan should now exercise her right to share the Settlement with the neutral Powers, but the Admiral has refused to leave the Japanese area to the care of the other Powers. On Tuesday the two Ambassadors presented a scheme which they hoped Japan would accept. The same terms were suggested to China, who accepted them promptly. But on Wednesday the Japanese Government rejected the scheme. They were willing to cease from all acts of violence, to make no further hostile preparations, to agree to a neutral zone, all provided that China did the same. -But they would not accept a clause which proposed that outside help should be given towards the settlement of the disputes;
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