Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-07-02
Police Seek Third Member of
Youthful Radical Band.
Emblem Recovered.
INCIDENT HELD CLOSED
BY SHIDEHARA'S NOTE
Press Deplores Affair and Patriotic
Societies Call 1t Stupid
Blunder."
BY the AsSocia ted Press

TOXIC, July 2.-Editorial denunci-
alton of the cutting down of the flag
in the American embassy compound
yesterday by an unidentified japanese
is voiced today by the Jiji Shimpo, a
leading Toxic daily. The paper says:
THE flag incident seriously in
jures the dignity of Japan and the
nation feels unbounded regret for it
Nobody but an idiot or a madman
would commit such an outrage.
knowing of the anti-American
demonstrations, the police ought to
have exercised the suictest guard
against an event such as this. Their
failure to do so shows incompetence.
Attributed to Excitement.
There is no doubt this act is to
be attributed to excitement, famed
by agitators using rash and wanton
utterances against America 1t is re-
grettable that thoughtless speech and
writings have caused an incident
marring the country's good name
The force of the japanese govern
ment's candid, upright protest against
the exclusion clause (of the American
immigration bill, which prohibits en-
try of Japanese to America) has beer
impaired by the incident.
"ReaIizing the serious menace OF
misguided actions. whether due TO
lunatic or not. we most strongly EN-
phasize the necessity for prudence or
the part of the press and the author
tiles and the most rigorous measure:
for control of jingoistic anti Amerl'
can agitation during this delicate sit
uation' Other publicists also de-
nounce the flag incident.
The police have informed the Amer,
lean embassy that two men arrested
yesterday evening, when the nag was
recovered, were accompiices befort
the act of the man who cut dowT
the flag. They said they knew tn.
name OF the chief culprit, who still
was hiding. but whom they expected
to arrest at any minute.
Radicals Cut Flag.
Those arrested and the culprit wht
actually cut down the flag are mem
bers of a group of radical youths, a
whose lodging house the police OBJ
tained evidence which they contend
shows that the youths were impli
Gated.
Inc nag StliI Is III Inc HduuS VI lut
police, unharmed, except where i
was cut from the canvas band.
The official expression of regre
which Baron Shidehara. the foreign
minister delivered to American
Charge Caffery, and which the latter
has forwarded to Washington, is re
garded as closing the incident. Thu
police, however, on the premier's or
ders, continue the most vigorous ex
animation of suspects and are max
ing further searches. The chief o
police says he is doing his utmost t.
bring the guilty to justice.
Leaders of the Black Dragon So
ciety and the Great Forward Asso
citation, which were most active il
yesterdays demonstration against tn
exclusion act. denounce the inciden
as a stupid blunder," declaring tina
it tends to nullfy the patriots dig
nified efforts to arouse the nationa
spirit.
The chief of police of Akasaka. tn
section of Toxic in which are situat
ed the embassy grounds. where tn
embassy stood before the earthquake
of September 1. has resigned.
The opposition parties in the Die
have announced that they will not u.s.
the flag incident politically to embar
rass the government owing to tn
gravity of the affair.