TOKIO’S APOLOGY

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 70, 16 December 1937, Page 7

TOKIO’S APOLOGY

Mr. Hull Requires More Vital Response NOTE ANTICIPATED American Forces Not To Be Withdrawn From China By Telegraph.—Press. Assn.—Copyright. (Received December 15, 9.40 p.m.) Washington, December 15. The Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, refuses to consider as a response to his Note the message of apology by the Japanese Foreign Minister. Mr. Kohl Hirota, two hours before the delivery of Mr. Hull’s protest. Instead, Mr. Hull put aside the Japanese Note and awaited a reply to his communication as well as to President Roosevelt’s protest to the Emperor. Mr. Hull persistently refused to comment on Mr. Hirota’s apology, thus emphasising his insistence on a further and more vital response to his stronglyworded Note. The Note citekl as authority the responsible Japanese Naval Spokesman at Shanghai, who stated that three Japanese bombing planes, six Japanese fighting planes, six Japanese bombing planes, and two Japanese bombing planes in sequence attacked the gunboat Panay and the three oiltankers.

The Secretary of State stressed by repetition of the word “Japanese” where the United States placed the responsibility. Furthermore, he cited evidence that the Japanese flew at an altitude of only 300 metres. Mr. Hull declined to comment on Mr. Hirota’s explanation that mist obscured the visibility of the aviators. There is no sign that the United Staes has any intention of withdrawing her forces or nationals from China. One result of the Panay furore is a proposed Constitutional amendment, introduced by Representative Louis L. Ludlow (Democratic, Indianapolis), requiring a national referendum before Congress could declare war 1 . The measure is expected to have a most difficult passage due to Administration opposition. Mr. Ludlow said: “To-day’s reports of events in the Far East point to the vital necessity for Congressional action to protect us from becoming Involved in foreign wars.”

A startling angle to the Panay incident is the heavy headlining of a report from H.M.S. Bee quoting a journalist eye-witness to the effect that two Japanese motor-launches machinegunned the Panay after the first bombing. Japanese officers then boarded the Panay but left before the vessel sank.