HORROR IN AUSTRALIA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 56, 8 March 1946, Page 5

HORROR IN AUSTRALIA

MOVE IN PARLIAMENT FOR “INSTANT RECALL”

Special Australian Correspondent— N.Z.P.A. ■

Recd. 9,30 p.m. Sydney, March 7. “That this House is of opinion that the honour and reputation of the Commonwealth Parliament, the State Parliament and the ordinary men and women of Australia ean lie upheld only by the instant recall of this hell-ship.” , This is the text of an urgency motion by tile deputy-Leader of the Opposition now being discussed in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.

“This Parliament,” continues the motion, “registers its abhorrence at the revolting herding of women and children on this Japanese-manned ship, and demands that future transport arrangements for the repatriation ot women and children are such as will be consistent with Australian conceptions of decency and honour.” The vessel concerned is the demilitarised Japanese destroyer Yoizuki, which cleared Sydney yesterday with more than 1000 prisoners and internees aboard.

For two days the Yoizuki case has held the front page in all metropolitan papers. Leaders and news stories emphasise the hopelessly overcrowded condition of the ship, which was built to accommodate a crew of 180. Statements are driven home by many pictures of the embarkation, showing the passengers being herded aboard like cattle, women with several children resisting guards’ attempts to get them aboard, and a vouth who tried to commit suicide rather than sail on the Japanese ship.

A complicating factor is the presence of more than 200 Formosan women and children as well as a number of men. These people hate and fear the Japanese and claim that they are wholly Chinese. Very few of them can speak the Japanese language. During their internment they have been cared for by the Chinese authorities here, as Formosa is already regarded by many highly-placed people as again a part of China. Since a party of journalists went over the ship a few days ago indignation has been rising at the state ot the ship and the primitive accommodation provided. Public reaction has been one of horror that the Australian authorities should permit the ship to leave, and talk of the honour of the country being at stake is common in ail the main cities.

In a front page leader the “Sydney Morning Herald” says: “Japanese officers have been cited as war criminals for permitting just such acts. They at least could plead the exigencies of war, but no such plea h possible here. The children and the sick may well never see the end of this nightmare. The fate of the women, without protection or even a pretence of privacy, is not difficult to imagine. With callous indifference almost incredible in the circumstances, Koreans and Formosans, with a long tradition of enmity towards Japan, have been delivered bound to their enemies. It is a shameful betrayal of the principles of decency and humanity for which we have just waged the bloodiest war in our history.” The “Daily Mirror,” this afternoon, carries four pages of print and pictures concerning the Yoizuki. The paper terminates its leader with the following: “Let the man responsible be named. Let him be punished. Let these people be recalled and taken out of their present hell as quickly as possible.” This presumably refers to the fact that embarkation was halted for four and a-half hours yesterday morning, when the women were going aboard, because Australian officers were appalled at the state of the accommodation. They got in touch with Canberra and were ordered to proceed. A Canberra message just received says that Mr. Chifley and the Minister of the Army, Mr. Forde, are conferring on the question of recalling the ship. A statement will be made directly a decision is reached. The Chinese Charge d'Affaires in Canberra stated that General MacArthur ordered the repatriation of the Formosans. The ship can be diverted onlj’ by his order.