DRASTIC STEPS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 70, 16 December 1937, Page 18

DRASTIC STEPS

Prince Konoye On The Yangtze Incident THE D.RAMA OF CHINA Nanking’s Fall Prelude To Real Hostilities (Received December 16, 12.30 a.m.) Tokio, December 15. The Prime Minister, Prince Konoye, (declared tbat the birth of a new China, at which Japan was aiming,. would safeguard European and American interests in China. The Yangtze incident, he said, was a tragedy. Japan must not evade her responsibility, but take drastic steps to preclude any recurrence. ‘•ln this sense the fall of Nanking is only the prelude to the drama of China and marks the start of real and protracted hostilities,” he declared. The Japanese Note of regret to the United State's, presented .yesterday morning, says that reports from Japanese representatives in China established that the naval planes acting on information that Chinese troops were fleeing in steamers up the river from Nanking, took off. However, owing to poor visibility the aircraft, although they descended to fairly-low altitudes, were unable to discern marks showing whether the vessels were American warships or merchantmen. The Note adds that Japan fervently hopes the unfortunate accident will not affect the most friendly relations between Japan and America. The Foreign Office Spokesman, Mr. Tatsuo Kawai, replying to a volley of journalists’ questions as to whether the Emperor would reply to President Roosevelt, said in an awed voice: “Nobody is qualified to make a statement in regard to the Emperor’s actions.”