Evening star., 1937-12-25
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt and Secretary
Hull, studying the Japanese reply to
the American protest over the sinking
Of the gunboat Panay, gave no hint
today whether the apology would be
acceptable.
They were expected, however, to
choose within few hours between the
two possible courses of action-ac-
ceptance of Tokio's response to the
American demand for satisfaction or
new representations plainly labelling it
unsatisfactory.
Some Informed persons expressed
the opinion that the japanese foreign
ONCE has done all that may be logic
ally expected OF it in reiterating its
formal apologies, offering full indem-
MITIGATION and giving its assurances
that steps have been taken to protect
American interests in China.
Others in authority professed. how
ever, to see in the reply issues for fur
ther contention between the two gov
efnments:
l. The japanese governments in
sistence that the attack was a mis-
take" in spite of of1icial American ma
val reports that the warship vas
marked plainly when it was bombed
and was later machine -gunned by low
Tying Japanese naval airplanes.
:. The absence Of a specific pledge
that the japanese war and navy min
tstries are prepared to guarantee obedi-
snce to rigid orders" against further
nolestation Of American rights and
interests in China.
New q. s. Protest Mentioned.
These persons voiced the belief that
enc or both of these points may fur
nish the basis for a new American
protest If the President and his Secre-
tary Of State find the Japanese re-
1oinder unsatisfactory.
The Japanese note, reiterating in
four separate portions that the at
tack on the Panay was a mistake. ~
reached the State Department simul-
taneously with the publication of Off
cial reports from the gunboat's COM
naanding officer and the official naval
inquiry board which investigated the
incident.
Both documents set forth that the
Panay was bombed in spite of the
fact that it was readily identif1a BILE
Is an American man of war; that the
attacking airmen also strafed with
machine gunfire both the sinking ship
and survivor -laden lifeboats, and that
. japanese motor launch machine
gunned the Panay after it had been
abandoned.
These reports were transmitted to
the japanese government in the form
Of supplementary representations. The
American contention was that the
attack was made "in complete disre-
gard Of the rights Of the United
States"
Machine Cunning Ignored.
Ths japanese note made no men,
ton Of the specific machine-gunnine
acts, which had been interpreted by
some observers as proving untenable
the original Japanese explanation that
the bombing ,hich preceded them
vas unintentional.
Chairman McReynolds, Democrat o.
Tennessee, of the House Foreign AT.
fairs Committee, said the proposed
Ludlow war referendum has beer
'.very detrimental' to the State De.
partment in its treatment of the Fal
Eastern crisis.
He expressed the belief that, /
the referendum were approved, i
would lead us into a defensive wa
that would be more destructive thar
using the power we now have il
preventing such conditions arising.
House action on the proposition ma,
be demanded January 10, but Rep
resentative Ludlow, Democrat, of In
diana, author Of the referendum idea
has said he would not be "in an
great hurry to bring 1t up, eve
then