Evening star., 1939-06-14


concession. Blockade put into
force yesterday.
BV the Associated Press.
LONDON, June 14.-The British
government informed the House Of
Commons today that 1t was con-
sidering possible measures of re-
taliation against the Japanese block
ade of the British Concession at
Tientsin.
Foreign Undersecretary R. A. But
Ter announced the governments po-
sition, but said the exact nature of
possible retaliatory measures had
not yet been determined.
He said Britain was keeping in
close touch with the governments
of the United States and France
on all developments. The French
Concession at Tientsin also it block
AIDED
Asked whether he would inform
Toxic Immediately that Japanese
ships would be barred from Britain's
Far Eastern ports of Hong Kong,
Singapore and Penang in retaliation
for the blockade, Mr.. Butler said:
The question of what measures
would be appropriate with regard
to the Japanese blockade of the
British concession at Tientsin is at
present under examination and
must depend in some degree on the
nature of action taken by the
Japanese"
Full Report Expected.
Mr.. Butler said Foreign Secretary
Viscount Halifax was expecting a
full report on the situation and
would make a statement to Parlia-
ment as soon as the report was re-
ceived.
The government was said by an
informed source to be continuing to
urge establishment of a court of
inquiry with a neutral chairman
the United States Consul General
to settle the dispute.
A spokesman announced two de-
velopments in the situation which
arose from refusal of British off,
cials to hand over four alleged
Chinese terrorists:
/. Authorization by the United
States for Consul General John K.
Caldwell to act as chairman of the
three-man committee to sift evi-
dence against the Chinese. Japan
ese Army circles in Tientsin said
the proposal for a neutral commit
tee, which would include one Jap
anese and one Briton, had been re-
jected. CAT the Tientsin consulate
general 1t was said nothing was
known yet of authorization for
Caldwell to act)
2. Disclosure of fresh evidence
duplicating the Chinese with the
Staying April of S. G. Cheng, Chi
nese official of the Japanese-spon-
sored North China Bank.
Surrender Held Unwarranted.
A foreign Office spokesman said
that in case the proposal for an
impartial tribunal were dropped,
British authorities on the spot
would consider the new evidence
and act accordingly.
He explained that the new evi-
dence was not considered sufficient
to warrant surrender of the four
suspects. Earlier, informed sources
had said Britain had told the Japa-
nese government that she was re-
considering her refusal to surrender
them.
1T seems clear from semi official
japanese statements" the foreign
office spokesman said, that the four
men are being used as a pretext
for aggressive measures with the
object of giving the japanese eco
nomic and political control over the
concession.
This is only one of the long series
of incidents aimed at forcing eco
nomic cooperation with the (Jap-
anese) new order in China. So far
the new order has only proved in
furious to British rights and inter-
ests and can only prove unwelcome
to all foreigners in China"
The new evidence was said to in
dicate that the four suspects had
covered the retreat of the slayers
of Cheng. The spokesman said, how
ever, that this information had not
been checked.
Asked what Britain would do If
the Japanese continued the blockade,
the spokesman said those in the
concession would have to dig in
their heels"
Cabinet Studies Situation.
The British cabinet met to con-
slider the situation. No formal re-
ply had been received on the British
proposal of three-man commission
one Briton, one Japanese and one
settle the dispute, but
(See LONDON, Page A-4J