JAPANESE REFUSAL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20877, 1 September 1942, Page 3

JAPANESE REFUSAL

U.S. RED CROSS SHIP AMERICAN PRISONERS (10 am.) WASHINGTON, Aug. 31. T The chairman of the American Red Cross Mr. Davis, announced that the Japanese Government had refused to grant a safe passage for a neutral >, ship to carry food, clothing and medical supplies to American prisoners oi war in Japan. The Japanese furf ther declined to furnish the Red Cross with the names and addresses of the prisoners. Mr. Davis said that the Ilf refusals violate the international treaty. The Red Cross Society recently chartered the Swedish vessel 1' Kanangoora at San Francisco where .the vessel had been awaiting sailing Rfi orders fully loaded. , k'‘ in the face of Japans refusal, the . • State Department at Washington has made an alternative proposal for the | de g|%„°£ S r“lSS a ry oi State, Mr. i\- Sumner Welles, sent a message to the Jananese through the Swiss Government suggesting that the Kanangoora or other Red Cross ship should proceed to Portuguese East Africa, to . where the Japanese should similarly Itl send a ship to receive the supplies i and transport them to Japan, lift Mr. Welles added that the United States expects Japan to fulfil obligations under the Geneva convention.