AMERICA’S PART IN TALKS

Southland Times, Issue 23333, 18 October 1937, Page 7

AMERICA’S PART IN TALKS

LEADING ROLE NOT EXPECTED CAUTIOUS COMMENT AT WASHINGTON (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received October 17, 7.50 p.m.) NEW YORK, October 16. The Washington correspondent of The New York Times says it is not expected that the United States will take a leading part in the nine-Power deliberations on the Far East, which opens at Brussels on October 30. She intends to retain independence of judgment and does not consider that she is obliged to fall in with any decisions. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (Senator Key Pittman) in an interview, expressed the opinion that the Neutrality Act would not hinder American co-opera-tion towards ending the conflict. “I hope the conference will quickly settle the entire matter and will not permit of any delay by appointing mediators on committees, while China is being destroyed,” added Senator Pittman. The President (Mr Franklin D. Roosevelt) said the Brussels conference was an attempt to find a method to end the Sino-Japanese hostilities by mediation, and if it were successful it would point the way for a broader programme of peace promotion. The President emphasized, however, that it was not yet safe to predict the part America would play in future in world diplomacy. Mr Roosevelt left the impression that the United States’s programme . for abandonment of her so-called isolationism is still indefinite.

An organization styled the “Move the Olympics Committee” has launched a campaign to oppose the holding of the Olympic Games at Tokyo in 1940. A statement was issued declaring: “We are dealing with a country which in the last few weeks alone has forfeited membership of decent society” The Committee for Industrial Organization passed a resolution advocating a boycott of Japanese manufactured goods and condemning all aggressor nations. — CHINESE REFUSE TO WORK SHIP VESSEL THREATENED WITH COMPLETE BOYCOTT (Received October 17, 6.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, October 17. Contrary to expectations the Chinese crew refused to return to work on the steamer Silksworth, bound for Japan. They now take up the attitude that they will not be parties to the transporting of flour and gypsum to the attackers of their own countrymen. The executive of the Newcastle Labour Council is now calling on all British and Australian seamen to refuse to man the Silksworth. A “Hands Off China!” rally will be held at Newcastle tomorrow. The Chinese Consul (Dr Pao) and also the Silksworth’s crew will attend. BELGIAN NEUTRALITY AND CONFERENCE BRUSSELS, October 15. The Belgian Foreign Minister (M. Paul Spaak) is reported to have told Cabinet that the nine-Power conference should not be held in Brussels, as Italy and Germany would not attend; it might embarrass Belgian neutrality. BRITISH PROTEST AGAINST ATTACK ON CARS TOKYO, October 15. The British Ambassador to Tokyo (Sir. Robert Craigie) has protested against the machine-gunning of the Embassy cars last Wednesday. The Japanese Foreign Office is investigating.