HORROR IN BRITAIN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 3, 27 September 1937, Page 7

HORROR IN BRITAIN

(BrUiah Offioial Wireless.)

"Decencies of Civilisation at Stake" i

"MERCILESS MASSACRE"

(Eeceived 27, 8.45 a.m.) BTJGBY, Sept. 25. "The British Government's new Note of protest against the ihdiscriminate Japanese bombing of non-combatants in China reflects the universal sense of horror and revulsion which has been caused by the mercijess massacres," says the Morning Post in an editorial. published in to-day 's issue. •This is typical of much of the comment on the same subject. The Morning Post continues: "What is at stake is no longer simply the lives and property or the interests of the foreignqr. It is the elementary decencies of civilisation itself." Various papers argue that Japan is arousing a hatred against herself in China that will be damaging to her interests for generations to cOme. A protest isyued by the National Peace Council and signed by Bishop Barnes, Miss Maude Royden, the noted preacher, who visited New Zealand some years ago, and others, has been addressed to the Japanese Government. The protest cxpresses intense horror and dismay at the bombardment of Canton. The Women 's Intemational League has sent a letter to the Japanese Ambassador indignantly proteBting against the bombing of civiliaus, and has also urged Mr Authony Eden to bring pres3ure on Japan and Lord Cranbofne to oilsure that tho Lcague of Nations will Cousider uiethoda for endiiig Japan's ruthless bombing. i Numerous pulpit and platform douunciations of the "Japanese butchery" of non-combatants included a suggestion by Mr John Marchbank, secretary of the Railwaymen 's Union, that a message from King George in the pame of the British people expressing horror and indignation at the bombing would influenco the Emperor of Japan. Beclaring that the boulbing must and can bo stopped, Sir Francis Dyke Acland, in a letter to I'he Times, points out that 6Ver three-qua'ters of Japan's ntai trade is witf rr 11 d. the Unite/ States and the British Empire," whose heads are men high in civilisation and human, merciful and peace loving, cherishing the samo faith and ideology. They could act in unison immediately i s'top Japan's inward and outward trade witliin a week. That would stop the massacres. "There is no need to wait for the c>operation of dictators or the League, the letter adds. "These three men, by acting together, might change the coursr of world history.'*