EMPHATIC PROTEST

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 230, 27 August 1938, Page 9

EMPHATIC PROTEST

DESTRUCTION OF AIRLINER. BY JAPANESE ’PLANES. UNITED STATES ACTION. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received August 27, 9.25 a.m. WASHINGTON, Aug. 26. The Secretary of State (Mr Cordell Hull) has emphatically protested to Japan over the destruction on Wednesday of the Chinese commercial airliner piloted by an American. Mr Hull stated that the attack had aroused public feeling in the United States, which objected to jeopardising the lives of Americans and other noncombatants in ’planes flying regularly over a scheduled route.

It was reported from Hong Ivong on Thursday that Japanese pursuit ’planes had forced down a Chinese National Aviation Company’s passenger ’plane over the West River. The Japanese flew low and machine-gunned the occupants when they were extricating themselves from the machine. The airliner was piloted by an American (Mr Woods). It was surmised that the ’plane was attacked because of the Japanese mistaken belief that Dr Sun Yat Sen’s son, Dr Sun Fo, was aboard, but he was on another ’plane. The Japanese. diving over it continuously, but not firing, forced down the machine in the Canton Delta. A number of influential Chinese were aboard. Seven of the passengers later died.