DELIVERY OF PRISONERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 38, 14 August 1939, Page 9

DELIVERY OF PRISONERS

CHINESE DISTURBED

"DEATH WARRANT"

NOTE LODGED IN LONDON

LONDON, August 12,

A Chungking report states that Chinese official circles are most disturbed over Britain's decision to hand over the four Chinese prisoners at Tientsin. The decision is regarded as tantamount to a death warrant. Vigorous representations are being made to London.

The Chinese Ambassador in London, Mr. Quo Tai-chi, sent a Note to the Foreign Office today urging reconsideration of the handing over of the Chinese. It stated that the demand for the delivery of the prisoners was not made by the competent authority, the Chinese Government, as necessitated by the Treaty of Tientsin, but by the Japanese Government and its puppets. The surrender of suspects was legally unjustified and also inconsistent with the traditions of British justice, he said, because all chances of a fair trial were removed. It might also be interpreted as de facto recognition of an illegal regime, involving far-reaching consequences. A Shanghai message states that Mr. Justice Grant-Jones, assistant Judge of his Majesty's Supreme Court in China, has reserved his decision on an application by a British citizen for a writ of habeas corpus on behalf of the four Chinese in Tientsin. Mr. GrantJones questioned whether a writ of habeas corpus could be applied for outside the British realm and Dominions, and also the applicant's authority to apply on behalf of the prisoners.