RETRIBUTION TO COME

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 March 1942, Page 4

RETRIBUTION TO COME

FOR JAPANESE ATROCITIES IN HONG KONG HORROR AND INDIGNATION IN CANADA. STATEMENT BY PREMIER. OTTAWA, March 10. Leaders of all parties joined with the Prime Minister in the Canadian House of Commons today in their expressions of horror at Japanese barbarities in Hong Kong as revealed in iMr Eden’s statement in the British House of Commons. The Prime Minister read Mr Eden’s statement textually, and then added: “I am informed by our High Commissioner in London that on the'basis of information so far received United Kingdom authorities agree that of all the reports of specific atrocities received ,to date, none are alleged to have been committed against Canadians, but no reports show that in so far as general treatment of prisoners is concerned, the Japanese have made any differentiation between Canadians and other British troops. Words cannot begin to express the sense of outrage and the feeling of bitter resentment to which this announcement of Japanese atrocities at Hong Kong is certain to give rise among civilised peoples everywhere, and nowhere more than in the different countries of the British Empire and in the United States with which Japan is at war. Retribution for barbaric behaviour of the kind will follow in full measure in due course. Meanwhile numbers of Canadians, both soldiers and civilians, in Hong Kong and in other parts of the Far East are now and will continue for some time to be at the mercy of the Japanese forces. Remembering this fact it is of the utmost importance that no act of vengeance should be permitted or taken against persons of Japan-1 ese origin in our country, since any such acts might be made an excuse for acts of retaliation upon Canadian soldiers or civilians in the Orient. I may add that the Canadian Government in conjunction with the Governments of Australia, India, the United Kingdom and the United States is making every effort both through the countries which are protecting their interests in enemy countries and through the International Red Cross to get into per-

sonal touch with prisoners of war and others. The object of all these inquiries is twofold —to secure an possible authentic information and also to bring such measure of relief in the nature of medical supplies, food and personal comforts as can possibly be arranged.”