1
No. 3 Bolosure in Tokyo N 530.
Copy.
318
British Embassy,
Tokio.
December lat, 1919.
My dear Yoshizawa,
You have no doubt seen Dr. Schofield's letter of November 21st in the Japan Advertiser of last Satur- day the 29th (page 4) giving instances of tortures under
police examination in Corea. The first of the two
cases quoted had already been reported to me from othor sources but I could scarcely bring myself to believe
that it could be true and I had dismissed it as an
exaggeration. But here we have it in dold print and
I cannot conceal from you the effect which, after all
the assurances given by the Imperial Government and which I have consistently conveyed to my Foreign Office,
it will produce at home.
In our conversation last Wednesday morning I referred to the delay which was being made in putting a stop to the barbarous flogging which goes on, and to
the plea given that it could not be abolished until more prison accommodation could be provided for the punish-
mont which would have to replace it. May I again
remind you that if ragnanimity could prevail and my
suggestion for a general amnesty for political offenders
could be adopted, the very act would provide all the
prison accommodation that could possibly be required.
While on the subject of Corsa, I may tell you
privately that I received an official despatch from
the Foreign office by the last mail on Friday enclosing
copy of a Resolution of the General Assembly of the
Fresbyterian Church of Victoria, forwarded
Governor-General of Australia to my Government dealing
by the
with