ALLEGED USE OF POISON GAS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22492, 29 August 1938, Page 11

ALLEGED USE OF POISON GAS

COMPLAINT LODGED BY

CHINA

TWO BATTALIONS WIPED OUT

BY JAPANESE

(united press association— copyright.)

(Received August 27, 2 p.m.)

LONDON, August 26

Dr. Hoo Chit-sai has alleged to the League of Nations that the Japanese ased poison gas and wiped out two Chinese battalions of 1000 men in the Juichang sector on August 22. The Chinese Embassy in London alleges a further Japanese gas attack at Juichang on August 23. A spokesman at the Japanese War Office denies the use of poison gas, though it is admitted that a smoke screen of a harmless nature may possibly have been employed. The Chinese Ambassador has communicated to the British Foreign Secretary (Lord Halifax) China’s allegation that the Japanese in North Kiangsi are using poison gas. Reports from Geneva state that this Chinese allegation, at the request of China, has been communicated to all members of the League and to the Advisory Committee on the Far East.

JAPANESE ATTACK ON

AIRLINER

EMPHATIC PROTEST MADE BY UNITED STATES WASHINGTON, August 26.

The United States Secretary of State (Mr Cordell Hull) has emphatically protested to Japan over the destruction of the Chinese commercial air-liner, which was piloted by an American, on August 24. He stated that the attack had aroused public feeling in the United States, which objected to jeopardising the lives of Americans and other non-comb''.tants in aeroplanes flying regularly over a scheduled route.

BRITISH MESSAGES

SUPPRESSED

AMBASSADOR’S PROTEST TO

AUTHORITIES

SHANGHAI, August 26

The British Ambassador to China (Sir Archibald Clark-Kerr) has protested to the Japanese Ambassador about the censor’s suppression of British messages .dealing with the Japanese attack on the international air-liner, and challenging the right of the Japanese to interfere with incoming and outgoing dispatches. The Japanese authorities have issued a statement announcing that they are determined to impose the strictest censorship, including business messages, in spite of the protest by Sir Archibald Clark-Kerr. Three bodies have been recovered from the submerged aeroplane.