THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 14, 1939 ·
Mr. Butler
Butler Gives Full Story Of
Of Tientsin
Alleged Torture
ANGLO-POLISH
Of Chinese Suspects FINANCIAL
By Japanese
London, To-day.
The Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. R. A. Butler, in a lengthy statement in the House of Commons yesterday, reviewed events leading up to the present grave situation at Tientsin.
Mr. Butler said: "On April 9, the manager of the Federal Reserve Bank and the newly appointed Superintendent of Customs were assassinated in the British Concession.
-
"This was the first case of violence in the Conces- sion since the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese hostilities. The assassin, a Chinese, escaped.
"The Municipal authorities in- from the Concession and to isolate vited
and lit. Japanese co-operation carried out a number of raids the Concession, as a result of which several arrests were made.
in "The situation is serious but still proceeding, negotiations are and it is hoped a settlement can be reached.”
HANDED TO JAPANESE
MR. BUTLER THINKS "The Japanese authorities alleged Mr. Philip Noel-Baker (Labour) that four of these arrested men were asked if the Government would ex- members of a terrorist gang con- plain to the Japanese that their nected with the above murder, and present persistent action against with the death of three Japanese the International Concessions was soldiers. These men were handed one which must lead to the gravest over to the Japanese foi question-results if it were to continue.
Mr. Butler replied he thought the ing.
"They made confessions implicat- Japanese authorities were aware of ing themselves, which, however, they the British Government's attitude.
(Con- returned to Sir J. S. Wardlaw-Milne láter retracted when the custody of the British Muni-servative) asked whether it had not cipal authorities.
been the custom in the past, and whether it would not be possible in the future, to establish a court or to send these men to one of courts within the British - Conces- sion, where they could be tried with
"A warning proclamation was is- sued on June 7 that any breach of neutrality henceforth would be dealt with either by handing over the culprit to the de facto authorities for trial or by expulsion from the all evidence. Concession.
CONFESSED UNDER TORTURE
"The four men in question were arrested before issue of the pro- clamation.
ese,
EVERY POSSIBILITY
the
Mr. Butler said there were, par- ticular circumstances in this case, and he was quite sure every
pos-
"In the absence of evidence con-sibility would be considered.
Mr. F. J. Bellenger (Labour) said necting them with the crime, other than their own confession, made both he and the House would wel- when in the custody of the Japan- come a satisfactory statement that and as they alleged, under the British Government would not torture, the British Government tolerate what the Japanese stated felt justified in giving they would do, namely blockade the have not instructions for them to be handed British Concession at Tientsin,
Mr. Butler thought Mr. Bellenger over to the local district court.
"This attitude was in accordance had better refer to the last sentence the the in his answer, which stated. with the practice followed for
situation was serious.-Reuter. past 22 months.
"The British Consul-General ac- cordingly informed
his Japanese SCHOOL
colleague on June 7 that the four men would be held by him pending production of further evidence, fail- ing which they would be eventually expelled from the Concession.
SITUATION SERIOUS "Two other men found in posses- sion of bombs would be handed over, and henceforth offenders would be dealt with as in the aforemention- ed proclamation.
have "The Japanese authorities intimated that they consider this certain reply unsatisfactory, and measures have already been taken to effect the removal of Japanese business houses and employees of the de facto Chinese authorities
CHILDREN'S BUS MISHAP
A slight accident occurred in Queen's Road East this morn- ing involving a bus carrying schoolchildren to the Quarry Bay School.
The driver swerved to avoid a Chinese child running across the street, and the front mud- guard struck a Chinese man. A Chinese woman was also hit by the vehicle. Both were only slightly injured:
The children, none of whom were hurt, were taken to school in another bus.
CO-OPERATION
Warsaw, To-day.
A Polish economic mission, headed by a former Finance Min- ister, left for London yesterday to discuss the question of finan cial co-operation between Poland and Britain.-Reuter.
POLICE DRIVE IN DIVANS
A large-scale combing of heroin and opium divans on the island and mainland was carri- ed out by the police through- out last night in an endeavour to round up suspects connected with the recent series of armed hold-ups.
About 60 arrests were made, some of whom have been releas- ed. The others are being held for questioning.
ROOSEVELT LONDON TRIP UNLIKELY
London, To-day.
Page
Crisis
FORMER MANCHUKUO MINISTER WOUNDED IN BOMB EXPLOSION
"
Chungking, To-day.
Pao Kuan-chang, former "Minis- ter of Foreign Affairs" of "Man- chukuo,' was wounded in a bomb explosion in a theatre in Chinkiang on the Yangtze River, 43.miles east of Nanking, on June 3, states a Shanghai report.
Pao recently returned to Chin- kiang, his native place, from Man- churia. He was entertained by Japanese and puppet officials at a dinner party and then invited to Wu Tai see a play at the Ta theatre.
A bomb suddenly exploded near his seat, wounding his left arm. Several other Japanese and puppet officials were also injured. Japan- ese soldiers and puppet police ar- rested more than thirty suspects on the spot. The following day a house-to-house search was con- ducted in the town. Central News.
CURFEW FOLLOWS BOMB EXPLOSIONS
After
A visit by President Roosevelt to
Jerusalem, To-day. London is thought very improbable,
been Beven ,bombs had says the "News Chronicle."
The newspaper's Washington cor-thrown at the Municipal Telephone Installations in Tel-Aviv on Mon- respondent declares that President an offi-
day night, another ten bombing at- Roosevelt has not received
tempts occurred in various districts cial invitation to visit London.
in the course of Tuesday. Trans-Ocean.
WRECKED JAPANESE BOMBERS FOUND
Five telephone boxes and a post office were considerably damaged. The casualties are not reported.
Curfew has again been impos- ed on Tel-Aviv. The order issued by the military, authorities forbids the inhabitants to appear on the streets between 8.30 in the evening and 4.00 in the morning.
Chungking, To-day. The wreckage of two of the Ja-
down by The measure was taken follow- panese planes brought
during ing the bomb explosions on Monday, fire Chinese anti-aircraft the raid on Chungking on June 11 evening.-Trans-Ocean. has been found.
One of the wrecked machines was
located in the suburb of Chungking and the other in Changshou on the
Yangtze River below Chungking — Central News.
LOTTERY CASE
NAZIS STATE THEIR CASE
Warsaw, To-day.
A memorandum on the situation. of the German ethnic group in Po- land was handed yesterday by the For possession of a large quan-German Minister, Herr Hasbach, tity of "po piu" lottery tickets, a to the Polish Prime Minister, M. 30-year-old Chinese widow, Leung Skladkowski.
The memorandum enumerates Ho, was fined $50 or one month's imprisonment by Mr: R. Edwards alleged individual excesses as well at the Central Magistracy this as cases of acts of violence com- mitted against the German ethnic morning.
group.
In the same court Wong Shek, 24, was fined $100 or two months' hard labour for printing lottery tickets.
2
The record of alleged serious at- tacks on German in Poland com- mitted in the last few months takes up over 70 type-written pages, Trans-Ocean.
Lieutenant G.S. Irale, of the Raj-
Dr. D. J. Valentine, Deputy Director of Medical Services, re- ports the theft of clothing from his car which was parked in Con-putana Rifles, has reported the theft ! naught Road Central between 11.20 of $140 worth of cloth from the a.m. and 1.15 p.m. yesterday.
Officers Quarters.