OFFICIAL VIEW.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 301, 20 December 1937, Page 7

OFFICIAL VIEW.

NO DEMONSTRATION. U.S.A. Seething with Conjecture As to Future Action. DEMANDING SATISFACTION. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 12 noon.) WASHINGTON. December 19. It Mas announced from White House that no naval demonstration has been planned in connection with the attack by Japanese on the gunboat Panav, and the sinking of three American oil tankers. A secretary stated tliat whatever arrangements were made for the American fleet manoeuvres in the Pacific were drawn up long before the incident. He added that President Roosevelt was extremely gratified with the attitude of tlie nation and Press in connection with the sinking. Jhe L nited States is seething with conjecture as to what action the Government is contemplating if the expected reply from Japan is deemed unsatisfactory. Public indignation has mounted, owing to prominent displays in the newspapers of eye-witnesses' accounts, in which American and British writers agree on the essential facts, leaving no doubt of the deliberate character of the attack. 11l spite of the official denials, the feeling persists that the Administration is planning a naval demonstration in the Orient. Kven such newspapers as the "Xew York Times" are continuing to insist on its likelihood. The intensity of the situation is increased by Press reports from Tokyo to the effect that a struggle is raging in Japanese Government circles between the civil and military factions, with the Foreign Minister. Mr. Hirota, waging a lone hattle to obtain further concessions for the United States. President to Emperor. These reports have served to solidify popular support of the stern course of the United States, which, it is believed, will include insistence that Japan must definitely repudiate all concerned with the Panav incident, regardless of rank. It is certain that Mr. Roosevelt's direct appeal to the Emperor has seized the popular fancy as a unique and ingenious step, after which the public is not likely to be satisfied with any evasive and incomplete reply from Japan, in spite of the undeniable antipathy to war in any circumstances short of actual invasion. A "New York Times" representative at Nanking charges the Japanese with "wholesale atrocities and vandalism." Similar dispatches are fanning the general resentment. Although Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Hull are carefully guarding the details of their v contemplated course of action, their frequent lengthy deliberations leave no doubt that a detailed procedure is being worked out on the basis of either a "Yes" or "No" answer from Tokyo. Mr. Roosevelt Determined. Responsible officials state that Mr. Roosevelt is determined to obtain definite and concrete Japanese guarantees against future attacks on United States ships and citizens in China before closing the Panay incident. Official dispatches from American Government representatives in China are confirming the detailed eye-witness' accounts of newspaper men concerning the attack, hence, officials state that, owing to such dispatches giving more and more grounds for official suspicion that the attack was much more deliberate than accidental, the position of the United States Government has now passed beyond demands for recorded apologies and reparations. In the meantime the Administration is seeking a more responsible authority than the Japanese civilian Government to underwrite such guarantees, according to strong indications from Mr. Hull, who, with other officials, expresses the belief that past experience has demonstrated the complete inability of a Japanese civilian Government to control the military and naval forces, or to give dependable guarantees of their future actions.

It was with these conditions in mind that Mr. Roosevelt bluntly requested that his views be communicated direct to the Emperor.

The coxswain of the Panay has died from wounds received in the sinking of the vessel, making the fourth victim of the Japanese attack.

TASMAN AIRMAN. Member of International Force Aiding China. WOUNDED AMERICAN'S STORY. LONDON, December 19. The Hongkong correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" says the existence of an international air squadron for service with the Chinese Government is revealed by one of its members, pvho has arrived at Hongkong to recuperate after crashing in a fight with Japanese aeroplanes near Hankow. He is a native of New York and goes under the name of Robert Wherton. "There are 20 of us, and we fight for a living," he said. "There were 22, but two have gone. We Americans cannot use our right names, or we would lose our citizenship.

"There are two Australians in the squadron, Messrs. White and Whitehead, the latter of whom flew th« Tasman."

Mr. R. G. Whitehead is aged 27, and a New Zealander. He was at one time a Wellington journalist. In November, 1934, he flew the Tasman with Mr. Rex Nicol, of Manly. Afterward he became a commercial pilot in Australia, and early this year flew for a commercial airline in Ne»v Guinea. A cablegram published on October 13 announced that with Mr. W. \ ynetWhite he had accepted service in China. Mr. A. P. Whitehead, of Wellington, stated last night that he had not heard from his son since he arrived at Hongkong in October, when he said he had a six months' contract to fly in the service of the Chinese Government.