FORCIBLE PROTEST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 May 1939, Page 5

FORCIBLE PROTEST

AGAINST JAPANESE ACTION IN CHINA VIOLATION OF TREATY RIGHTS. BOMBING RAIDS DENIED. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 15. The Foreign Under-Secre-tary, Air It. A. Butler, was asked in the House of Commons today to make a statement on the invasion and occupation by the Japanese of the international concession at Knlangsu. He said that, following the fatal shooting of the pro-Japanese Chinese chairman of the Amoy Chamber of Commerce on Thursday morning a Japanese naval party of between 100 and 200 men landed the same evening and started to patrol the settlement, -searching private houses and making many arrests. Mr Butler added that the British Ambassador in Tokio, Sir Robert Craigie, had oeen instructed to protest against this forcible interference with the municipal administration at Kulangsu, which was established by an agreement between China and foreign treaty Powers, including Britain and Japan. “As regards Shanghai,” said Mr Butler, “Japan can be under no misapprehension as to the unfortunate results regarding Anglo-Japanese relations which would be produced were similar action to be taken by the Japanese in the settlement there.”

Answering further questions relating to Japanese activity in China, Mr Butler said that Sir Robert Craigie had made strong representations to Japan, urging that, from the humanitarian point of view, as well as in Japan’s best interests, stringent instructions should be sent to restrict all attacks to recognised military objectives. Sir Robert Craigie had observed that, in the case of Chungking, the casualties appeared to have been suffered almost exclusively by the civilian element of the population. Mr Butler added that Lord Halifax understood that representations on very similar lines had been made to Japan by other countries. The casualties among non-com.bat tants resulting from the raids of May 3 and 4 on Chungking are estimated at 1600 killed and approximately the same number wounded, and it is feared that the full casualty list may be even higher when the excavations are completed. JAPAN EXPLAINS THE BOMBING OF CHUNGKING. ATTACK ON CONSULATE “UNAVOIDABLE.” (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The Consul-General for Japan in Wellington, Mr K. Gunji, has received cable advice from Tokio to the effect that a Japanese aeroplane squadron bombed Chungking on May 3 and 4 and wrougnt great damage to the Chinese military establishments at that place. On May 4 the Chinese army stationed 50 anti-aircraft guns between 200 and 300 metres from the British, French, German and American consulates, and on opening fire were bombed by the Japanese aeroplanes. According to various sources of information, one of the Japanese bombs dropped on the compound of the British consulate, and, it is said, one of the secretaries of the consulate was wounded. The Japanese authorities are now investigating tne affair. The Japanese Naval Information Bureau in Shanghai stated that, even if the report that a Japanese bomb fell in the British consulate compound were found to be true, the happening was quite unavoidable, as the Japanese aeroplanes, being fired upon, acted purely in self-defence. “BRUTAL RAIDS” DENOUNCED BY CHINESE. The following cablegram has been received by the Chinese ConsulateGeneral from Chungking:— “The Domei News Agency, Tokio, on May 9, circulated ridiculous rumours alleging that the raids on Chungking produced an anti-war feeling among the Chinese public, and that the Koumintang Elders were attempting to turn public opinion in favour of peace. “This statement is contrary to fact. The brutal raids by the Japanese on the civilian population in Chungking, instead of making the Chinese people, war weary, have steeled them to resist the invader with solid determination."