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THE HONG KONG WEEKLY PRESS &
October 29, 1937
AMERICA'S NEW CHINA CORONER
POLICY ANALYSED
Chinese Opinion
Opinion On The
Change
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT)
CANTON, OCTOBER 21.
IN VIEW OF AMERICA'S SUDDEN SWITCH IN FAR EAST- ERN POLICY AS A RESULT OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S SPEECH, THE WRITER MADE A CANVASS OF CHINESE OPIN- ION WHICH SHOULD BE OF INTEREST.
A leading Chinese official declared that President Roosevelt's clarion call to the nations of the world to "make a concerted et- fort to uphold the laws and principles upon which alone peace can rest secure," showed that he is a real friend of China, and also that the school of opinion in the United States which was advocating isolationism at whatever cost was beginning to realize that if the bombings of open towns and massacre of non-com- batants continued unchecked, America may not be so safe after all.
Another Chinese official thought | moral, if not on legal grounds. For that the first gesture of withdrawal from China was only a feeler to test the real sentiments of the American people on the policy to adopt toward Japan's aggression on
an
unoffending neighbour. The American wave of protests from citizens in China convinced the State Department that any with diawal would be highly detrimental to American interests, and so Pre- sident Roosevelt made his speech in Chicago.
READY TO CO-OPERATE The concensus of opinion in off- business and educational cial, circles in Canton is that the United States and Great Britain had now reached the stage where they were ready to co-operate in the Far East. High hopes were, therefore, entertained over the forthcoming Nine Power Conference at Brussels. "The Chungshan Daily News" de- clared
in an editorial that "the United States and China shared a common responsibility in main- taining the sanctity of internation- al treaties and their mutual co- operation would help to stabilize the balance of power in the Pacific area and restore peace in the Far East."
In view of this consistent friend- ship, the paper continues, "the two countries cherish a common ideal and should check the onward march of the violator of world peace in order to realize their com- mon aim. The United States has, of course, perfect freedom of in- dependent action in her handling of international problems, but so far as treaty obligations are con- cerned, such freedom ought to be limited to a certain extent on.
it must not be forgotten that the Nine-Power Treaty, the Briand- Kellogg Pact and the Covenant of the League of Nations were enacted with a
definite purpose by the statesmen of the world.
"To solve the problem of inter- national conflicts, Mr. Cordell Hull of securing emphasizes the need
peace and calls our attention to It. While we appreciate his desire for peace, it seems that his 14- point proposal is passive in nature, and although it is reported that Afty-four states have already ad- hered to it in principle, they have not yet taken any practical steps to realize this high ideal.” the paper continues.
THE ONLY STEF The paper then says that "in the face of Japanese armed ag- gression, China is taking the only appropriate steps in the defence of hei territorial sovereignty. It is hoped that President Roosevelt will lend his active support on the side of right and justice, especially when he says that "America actively en- gages in the search for peace."
"The Canton Gazette" holds the opinion that "unaided, the United States will not be able to enforce her Monroe Doctrine. She who would leave others alone in their time of need would meet the same fate herself, and there is no reason why any of the Central or South American states should not be the property of one who needed it and had the power to take it."
The journal goes on with an ex- position of Britain's difficult role, but adds that the aid of France and Soviet Russia "is more power- ful than any combination that has
PRAISES
POLICE
Fine Work ln Typhoon Fire
as
Strong commendatory remarks on the work done by the police and the Fire Brigade in the West Point fire which broke out during the height of the typhoon on Septem- ber 2, were made by Mr. W. Scho- field, Senior Magistrate, at the Central Magistracy on Oct. 20.
Mr. Schofield was sitting Coroner at an inquiry held into the circumstances surrounding the death of Tong Cheung, a 76-year- old man residing in a house in Connaught Road West, one of the premises involved in the fire. As- sisting him was a jury comprising Messrs. M. Nemazee (foreman), M. V. Neves and A. J. Hussain.
Mr.
said "The Schofield haviour of the police and the Fire Brigade seems to me to have been most admirable in every They were working under culties the like of which I have never heard of outside war-time."
be-
way. dita-
Without retiring the jury return- ed a verdict of death by misadven- ture and the foreman added they did not desire to record a rider.
The Coroner expressed his sym- pathy with the relatives of the de- ceased.
NAVAL ESCORTS FOR NEW GOVERNOR
When His Excellency the new Governor. Sir Geoffrey Northcote and Lady Northcote arrives in the Colony on October 28 by the P. and O. liner s.s. Ranchi, the Royal Navy will provide an escort of two Destroyers in H.M.S. Du- chess and H.M.S. Thracian, while H.M. Alrcraft Carrier Eagle, will provide an air escort.
All His Majesty's warships in harbour and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels will be dressed overall.
been or can be made East or West, When necessary, the three can offer sufficient inducements for the United States to throw her weight on their side. Besides, isolationism is no longer possible or practical. Hungry eyes are cast on Central and South America."
October 29, 1937
•
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT
JUNK - SINKING INQUIRY
SURVIVORS TELL OF ALLEGED
JAPANESE SAVAGERY
ON HIGH SEAS
FISHING JUNKS SINK IN FULL SIGHT
OF MERCILESS ATTACKERS
Graphic descriptions of the merciless sinking of a fleet of fishing junks by a submarine, the crew of which were described by one witness as Japanese, were given by survivors at the Supreme Court on Oct. 18 when the "Jun-sinking Inquiry" commenced. The inquiry is being conducted by a Government-appointed Com- mission comprising His Honour the Chief Justice, Sir Atno. Mae- Gregor, the Harbour Master, the Hon. Commander J. B. Newill, and Mr. Justice J. A. Fraser.
Mr. J. C. McDouall is acting as Secretary to the Commission, According to the witnesses, the submarine, which came upon the junks near the Che Long light-house on September 22, went up to them one by one and systematicaly sank them.
At the outset of the proceedings, Mr. John Whyatt, Assistant At- torney-General, who is assisting the Commission in the marshalling of evidence, said:
May it please you Sira:-I have been asked to appear before the Commission during this enquiry for the purpose of assisting you, as far as I am able, in the task which has been entrusted to you under of reference by His your terms Excellency the Officer Administer- ing the Government of the Colony of Hong Kong
It will be necessary in order that the true facts relating to the sinking of these fishing junks may be established that you should have before you witnesses who can give sworn evidence of the material circumstances and the object of my presence at this inquiry is to call before the Commission all the witnesses who are available whose evidence can be of assistance to the Commission in arriving at its conclusions.
I desire to say that in calling this evidence I shall observe strictly the ordinary rules of evidence and in no circumstances will any evidence be tendered or any questions be ask- ed which would not be admissible in proceedings conducted in accor- dance with the practice which pre- vails in a British Court of Justice.
ORAL TESTIMONY
I do not propuse before calling the witnesses to make any com- ments or to outline in detall the evidence which they will give be- cause I think it is desirable in an Inquiry of this kind that the ma-
terial to be placed before the Com- mission for its consideration shoula be limited strictly to the oral testi- mony of the witnesses themselves. It will be sufficient, I think, for your purposes, if I indicate to you as oriedy as possible the various classes of witnesses who will be called and the nature of the evi- dence they will give concerning the matters relevant to this inquiry.
In the first place I shall call be- fore you a number of eye-witnesses who were present on board the fish- ing junks that we are concerned with, who will describe to you the circumstances in which these ves- sels were sunk. Altogether ten fishing junks were sunk and al- though many lives were lost, there
A fortunately considerable number of survivors and of these, fourteen are at present in this Co- lony and will be called to give evi- dence. Their evidence will be sup- plemented to some extent by an officer from the British steamship Kaying which picked up some of the survivors. Other survivors
was
were picked up by the German iiner Scharnhorst but as she has already sailed for Europe and will not call at the port of Hong Kong again until she returns to the Far East in two months time, I regret to say it will not be possible to call witnesses from the Scharnhorst at this inquiry to tell you what they know concerning this matter.
EXPERT WITNESS
In addition to the evidence of eye-witnesses. I shall call medical evidence from the Queen Mary Hospital and the Kwong Wah Hos- pital. The witnesses from these
FOR
629
THE POOR
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul acknowledges with grateful appreciation and thanks the re- ceipt of the following donations and gifts to the Fete on November 7, 1937.
Mr. W. B. Finnigan
$25.00
Hon. Mr. M. K. Lo
10.00
Messrs. Kayamally & Co.
10.00
Mr. G. P. de Martin
25.00
30,00
10.00
25.00
25.00
Mrs. V. Sorby
Mr. A. el Arculli
Mr. Ho Kom Tong Mr. A. C. Wilcox
Anonymous (per Mr. Dixon) 10.00 The Grand Dispensary. Ltd., 24 bottles "Happy Kid" Baby Water.
hospitals will be doctors who at- tended to those survivors who re- quired medical attention when they arrived in Hong Kong and they will describe to you what they found when they examined these men after their admission to hos- pital. These witnesses, in addition to giving oral evidence, will produce as exhibits a splinter of metal and a copper bullet which have been removed from the bodies of two of the survivors and also an X-ray photograph which was taken before an operation was performed on one of these men.
I shall also call evidence from the Royal Observatory at Hong Kong as to weather conditions that prevailed on the relevant dates in the vicinity of the place where the junks were sunk. And lastly I shall call a naval officer who will give evidence as an expert on the question of the distinguishing marks which are carried by certain naval
familiar.
craft with which he is
I think perhaps I have now sald sufficient in this brief summary to indicate to you the nature of the evidence I intend to put before you and with your leave I will now proceed to call the witnesses.
CONSUL NOT ATTENDING
Mr. Whyatt had also intimated that the Japanese Consul had been informed of the inquiry and corres- pondence had been exchanged, the last communication from that office having been received that morning. This stated that the Japanese Con- sul would not be attending the in- quiry nor would he be represented. The Portuguese Consul had also been informed, as Macao had been men- tioned as the home port or port of registry of one or more of the Junks. He was present in Court but desired to take no active part in the proceedings. Messrs. But- terfeld and Swire and the Nord- deutscher Lloyd wished to have no- thing to do with the inquiry.
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