NOTE OF PROTEST

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 16, 16 December 1937, Page 9

NOTE OF PROTEST

REPLY STILL AWAITED. PLACING THE ONUS. MR HULL’S INSISTENCE. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 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 Kolii Hirota), two hours before tlie 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, tfius emphasising his insistence on a further and more vital response to his strongly-worded Note. The Note cited as authority the responsible Japanese Naval Spokesman at Shanghai, vyno 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 jcsponsibility. Furthermore, lie 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 States lias 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. 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.”