BRITAIN'S SERIOUS VIEW

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 27, 31 July 1940, Page 7

BRITAIN'S SERIOUS VIEW

ALLEGED SUICIDE OF MR. COX

"UNWARRANTED ASSUMPTION'

* LONDON, July 30

A statement on the arrest of British subjects in Japan was made in the House of Lords this afternoon by the Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax.

Referring to the Japanese Government's statement that the arrested men formed part of a British espionage network covering the whole country, Lord Halifax said: "It is hardly necessary to state that there is no foundation whatsoever for this allegation by the Japanese Government."

He then referred to the death of Mr. James Melville Cox, Reuters' correspondent at Tokio, who is alleged by the Japanese Ministries of War and Justice to have committed suicide because he was sure he could not escape punishment for spying. "His Majesty's Government," said Lord Halifax? "is totally unable to accept this totally unwarranted assumption of guilt." He said in conclusion: "Strong representations have already been made by the British Ambassador at Tokio to the Japanese Foreign Minister. I myself asked the Japanese Ambassador to call this morning, and I left his Excellency- in no doubt as to the serious view his Majesty's Government takes of these arrests." It is stated authoritatively ..that the British Ambassador in Tokio, Sir Robert Craigie, in his interview with the Foreign Minister, Mr. Matsuoka, regarding the British subjects who were arrested stressed the serious view that is taken in Britain, and perhaps elsewhere, of the incident, which has political implications apart from many technical charges.

The Ambassador gave explicit assurances that the British community in Japan has no political organisations, and pointed out that there is a strong and efficient Nazi Party organisation. A British official wireless message states that no report has yet been received by official quarters in London regarding the treatment under detention and the examination of Mr. Cox.