Yoizuki Recalled to Rabaul

Chronicle (Levin), 13 March 1946, Page 5

Yoizuki Recalled to Rabaul

Press Assn.

Women and Children Put Ashore PROVISfON OF HOSPITAL SHIP FOR TRIP

.. , By Telegraph

-Copyright

• Received Tuesday, 11.30 p.m. SYDNEY, March 12. After sailing from Rabaul today the destroyer Yoizuki was recalled by order of Military Headquarters, Melbourne, and the Navy Board, and 350 men, women and children put ashore. They are being replaced by 294 male Formosans. In accordance with the request from G-eneral MaeArthur, the passengers landed, who consist oi women and children and males of families, will sail on the second stage of their homeward voyage aboard a 11,000-ton Japanese hospital ship. Soon after its inspection by the Commonwealth Investigation Commis§ion, the Yoizuki leit her berth, but she had g'one less than three mlles when she was ordered to return. The reason for the premature sailing is not yet clear. Members of the Commission remained aboard the ship for three hours and inspected every part of the vessel. On stepping ashore early in the afternoon, Mr. Justice Simpson said, "We have investigated everything from the bilge to the top deck," but he declined to comment.

Navy and anny officers who inspected Ihe ship 011 arrival said that none of the passengers on the Yoizuki had expressed a desire to leave the vessel. The captain told them there was a fully qualified Japanese doctor ahoard, who was satisfied ahout the conditions. The status oi' the three other doctors is not yet clear. The anny and navy representatives did not go beiovv docks, beeause oi the crowded conditions. They did not notice any particular sorrow and were surprised to iind the passengers apparentiy fit. A water barge coming alongside caused great exciienient among the passen gers, whose greatest desire was to wash themselves. Apparentiy tlie destroyer 's limited water supply did not permit this. An earlier message said that navai advice to the Government was that the Yoizuki had a "perfect voyage" to Rabaul without incident from weather or sickness. Doubts are st.iil being cast by the Press on the recent statement that the ship has four doctors, as this contradicts the captain 's own statement to the Press. In roply to Ministerial statements that thc Press allowed the ship to sail beiore raising a hue and cry, the Sydney Sun points out that its representatives notiiied Ministers hefore tlie ship left the wliarf. Australian Army autliorities justify the liiclusion of women and children aboard the Yoizuki. MR. CHIFLEY' S REPLY. The Prime Minister (Mr. Chifley) said the mclusion of women and children aboard ships repatriating Japanese Irom Australia had been laid down m a pulicy urawn up at a conierence betwoen Amencan and Australian Army authorities at Melbourne and later radioed to the Supreme Command of the A.llied Powers. Mr. Chifley niade this statement in roply to a declaration issued at Sydney by the American Prisoner-of-War Information Bureau. The statement I'laimed: "In no radio message from the Australian Land Porces was any mention niade of women and cnildren being included. in the sliipment. " The Sydney statement added: "TJnbeknowu to General Headquarters, the

Australian Military Forces did so, in ciuding in the shipment 221 f'ormosan and Korean women and children. ' ' Mr. Chifley said that as a result of the Melhourne conference, the fonowmg signal regarding the repatriation of Japanese was sent to the Ailied Com mand Headquarters in Japan by the Australian Army headquarters on No vembefc 13, 1945: "Following a conference with Colonei Purdy, C'hie. Provost Marshal of the United States Army, we propose to conform as far as possible with your procedure as foliows: 'Different categories, namely prisoners of war, disarmed personnel, civilians, including women and children, may be embarked together. Prisoners of war from Australia will include all those held on your behaff, exciuuing suspect ed war criminals. ' ' ' REFUSAL IGNORED. The American statement on the Yoizuki case is in efi'ect a complete denial of United States responsibility and a direct accusaticn of Australian military action. The statement, which was issued by Lieut.-Colonel H. C. Park, of - the United States Prisoner of War Ini'ormation Bureau,. accuses the Australian Military Forces of ignoring a refusal from General MacArthur to a request that 211 Formosan and Korean women and children should he added to the vessel 's passengers, and alleges that on two separate occasion^ the Australian Land Forces asked permission to increase the number of Formosans and Koreans to travel on the Yoizuki. ' ' Unknown to General Headquarters, and ignoring the refusal to increase the authorised passengers above 948, the Australian Military Forces did so, including in the shipment 211 Formosan and Korean women and children General Headquarters in Japan have no responsibility for the repatriation of enemy nationals, prisoners of war, or others from the Australian Zone, other than to fiirnish vessels with a de signated passenger capacity. All the details of the loading of the vessels, se lection of the passengers, their assign ment and all other matters incidental to their passage, are the complete responsibility of the Australian Forces which function entirely under their own command."