CHINA'S CLAIMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 89, 16 April 1927, Page 7

CHINA'S CLAIMS.

JUSTIFYING NANKING. — 'i Reply lo American Note i Formula led. TOREIGN POWERS BLAMED. I:t r.-.Wr -r.-os A^Br^ciatJoa.—Cor.rrl s ht.) Ml \\«,lJ \\. At.ril 1.1. The Nationalist rvpjv in the Ait«*-r;<-.'iii Note on tii" Nankin: oulrare>, «li < !i i- ]>-c»ii:ii:. \>h "l.c- same »» ilia HriT :-li reply. c\«<j.t l«.r jlm- rrlnvi.ca to Sl.ar.nvii. lift* 1,,., i, proscim-d. It -lal<-« that )]],• Nationalist Government i- prepared to make frood all .i.-iiiiM.-.- <]oih< i„ tiif American Consulate m Nanking on llie ground that whether i«r no --i<h (j.iinng-o «s< cau ms ] by the Northern rebel* <<r other*, the farl rnn.rv- lhsl all American Cnn-nlriic mi Chinese terrilory bad been violated. IN-n i. 'I'.ii.n ion. i.ir person* 1 injuries to Cuitcd Stair* National* alii other niatciia] damage, the Nat iotiali-1 <...\< mment i« prcpai <d to make i «-.i -. -nablo reparation. r\e, |i 1 3:1 i,im'« w hcfP ; 1 i- detinilch pjotod r- ;c ], damage had 1,( " '" ■Mii-ci l,y the P.ril i»h-American UMiiliaiflnu-nt. or by the Not t hern rebels agciil - j.i oi.-.eatcui -. The Note --v- that the demand* for the udequatc punishment «.f oommamh r* of Nationalist troops for murder, injuries, indisnities. and material ::**,,n,c- ill*- guilt of -,; J( . Nationalist forces capturing Nanking. _ While this guih i. ,-,„|i radictod. a. rigid <.o\cnimeni inquiry j« being conducted jn older 1.. a-ecrlahi the actual fact*.. The Government proposes that the question of piwi~hmeni should await the finding <if cither the Government inquiry or an Intelnatiolial Commission inquiry, as j]„. law* of nations prohibit tin- bombardment of cities of friendly States. "The Government j«-«-poses that Mich a (omini«*ioii of Inquiry that Mich a ( ommiss ion of Inquiry should al-o imeMi«ale the circumstances of the bombardment of unfortified Nankin". Tie Nationalist reply rejrardinp th« demands for :ni from tLe Com-mander-in-Chief of Nationalist forcet says the f;nrcrnn-<rnt jiropo-.es thai tlii« await the <leterniination <»f the question of jruilt. Meantime it repeats the e-\-|>ression of re«ret which the Minister of Korcipii Affairs cominunicated to tha l'nite<l States Government when tha violation of the Consulate was re]>orteiL Violence Discountenanced. The Note continues: The Nationalist novernuient as tlj<- re<sponsihie t.overnl««ly rannot countenance ihe use of any form of violence or agitation against foreign lives and property, and the Nationalist Army will I*, instructed to afford proper pmtenion to foreiini property. The Covernmeisij however, emphasises [that the Let sVßiantee for eH"ecti\e protection lies in the removal of tht? fundamental cause of the present trouhle Letwceu Nationalist (hina and ih" Powers who sustain un«s|ua! treaties, jt is these which constitute the chief 'danger to foreign lives aJl d pr<q»eilv. i which danjjer will persist a= loup r* I effective (Jovcrniuent is irndered difTij cult hy foreign insistence on conditions | which humiliate a nation which is known fur greatness, and which to-dav is conj scions of a renewal of strength. The I Government i« pre|»arc<l to appoint delegates to negotiate a satisfactorv settle- ; ment of the i<sties and differences, on , terms which as-ure to the legit : niatc interests of lx.th countries rcriproci'. r 1 in their relations.