Some of the British, French and Italian troops who are
-defending the International settlement at Shanghai have been stationed outside the settlement, as Sir Austen Chamberlain explained in the House of _Commons on Wednesday. The Americans, however, are keeping behind these advanced lines. American residents in the Settle- ment disapprove of this withholding of full co-operation. The theory of the State Department at Washington is that the United States ought to act independently. Sir Austen stated this fact, but did not comment on it. The placing of troops outside the Settlement has been taken up by critics of the Government as proof that the risk of collision with Chinese troops is being rashly accepted. This is typical of much of the unhelpful criticism which has been directed against the Government. Obviously the only way to defend the Settlement is to dispose the troops in such. a way as to make defence possible. *. *
Previous page
