Panay Bombing

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 71, 16 December 1937, Page 5

Panay Bombing

•Pres» A.s§n.-

EMPEROR'S APOLOGY Japanese Machine-Gunned Ship Before She Sank OFFICERS BOARDED HER

(By Telegraph-

-Opyrigbt.)

(Eeeeived 10, 8.45 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Dee. 35. Mr Cordell Hui!, Secretary of State, to-day xefuBed to consider as a response to his Note a message of apology by the Emperor two hours before the dejivery of Mr Hull's protest against the bombing and sinking of the American gunboat Panay and three oil tankers by Japanese on the Yangtse xiver. Mr Hull persistently refused to comment on the Emperor 's apology, thus emphasising his insistence on a further, and more vital, response to his stronglyworded Note. The Note eites as an authority the responsible Japanese naval spokesman in Shanghai, who stated that threo Japanese bombing, six Japanese fighting, six Japaneee bombing and two Japanese bombing planes in sequence attacked the Panay and the three vessels owned by the Standard Oil Co. Mr Hull eited evidence to the effect that the Japanese flew at an altitude of only 300 jnetres. Mr Hull declined to comment on the Emperor 's explanation that a mist obeeured the visibility of the aviators. A startling augle to the incident ls a report from H.M.S. Bee, quottng a journalist eye-witness, to the effect that two Japanese motorlaunches machine-gunned the Panay after the first bombing. Japanese officers then boarded the Panay, but left before the vessel sank. There is no sign that ,the United States has any intention of withdrawing its forces or nationals from China. The resuit of the sinking of the Panay is a proposed constitutional aniendment, introduced by Senator Ludlow, requiring a national referendum before Gongress can declare war. The measure is expected to have a most difficult pa^sage, due to opposition by the Administration. Senator Ludlow said to-day: "The lfttest reports concerning events in the Far East point to the vital necessity for Congressional action to protect us against becoming involved in foreign .wars." The editorials in some of the leading New York morning newspapers most eignificantly cxpress national opinion. The New York Daily News says: — "If we ara meditating war against Japan we ought also to count the cost beforehand. The last time we counted the cost afterward, and are still countlog it. "Most oi us sympathise with China, but if is not our duty to come to the rescue of a country .with six times the population, and ten times the resources, of Japan. "If the Chinese do not love China •nough to keep it free, we should not •ither. "We think that an AmericanJapanese showdown is coming eventu»Uy, but it should occur in mid-Pacific, not in China. "Let us be smart enough this time to pick our own battlefield and know what the fight is about."