Evening star., 1940-07-30
Japan 5 Army Seizes
More Foreigners in
Spy Campaign
Several Held in Korea;
Envoy Protests Arrest
Of Is Britons
Rr the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
TOXIC, July 30.-The japanese
Army announced today that several
foreigners, whose names and ma
tionalities were not disclosed, have
been arrested in Korea in an extern
sion of Japan's campaign against
alleged foreign espionage, in which
13 Britons previously had been seized
In Japan proper.
A brief communique issued in
Seoul, capital of Korea, japanese
colony on the Asiatic mainland, said
the prisoners, charged with spying,
were undergoing examination.
The japanese campaign. which
has jailed some of the most promi-
nent British residents of Japan and
led to the death of one, was dis
cussed today by the British and
United States Ambassadors, Sir
Robert Leslie Craigie and Joseph c.
Grew.
Arrest of the Britons emphasizes
that Japan is moving rapidly along
two courses toward economic COM
alioiio Va tSld-6lIQlldLlO0
of foreign influence and of economic
1nroads in key territories reliable
sources declared today.
Stern Attitude Taken.
These apparently are twin paths
by which Japan hopes to reach
eventual control of the raw ma
terials and trade of the bulk of
China, French Indo-C China, Thailand
tSlam), the Netherlands Indies and
possibly British Burma.
(Hong Kong reports say China
has rejected japanese overtures
for a peace settlement which
would give Japan five Chinese
provinces and recognize Wang
Ching-wei, Japan-backed ruler in
Nanking, as President of
Chinese Republic designed to in
clude Burma, Indo-China and
Thailand)
The fact all the arrested are
British and many previously had
been under surveillance for years
without being detained was in
terpreted as indicating the arrests
were timed for period when Britain
appears unwilling to risk a direct
test of strength in the Far East, as
shown by her recent concessions to
Japan in Burma.
Nevertheless, Britain is under
stood to be taking a stern attitude
toward the arrests, demanding sub
sanitation of charges of existence
OF British espionage network"
Investigation Pressed.
The British Embassy is pressing
for a full investigation into the
death of one of those arrested,
Melville James Cox, veteran English
newspaperman who, the japanese
reported, committed suicide by leap
ing from a window while being
questioned.
The Embassy is said to consider it
strange that purported farewell
note from Mr.. Cox to his wife was
unsigned, whereas all his previous
notes to her had been signed. Mrs
Cox declared she would remain in
Japan as long as necessary to clear
her husbands name, asserting: MY
husband never was a war spy. I
will protest this as long as I live"
The war and justice ministries
both said the arrests were the first
step in campaign to eliminate a
British "espionage system"
japanese Warned.
At the same time the war Office
tcct CT oy,7ir To
ese against assistance to foreigners
and there were widespread reports
many japanese had been or would
be arrested.
The war office declared that
powers hostile to Japan during past
decades have been carrying on sub
versive activities in various strata
of society in this country. au-
thorities deeply deplore those jap
anese who are in the pay of foreign
information agencies. The army is
determined to take firm action
against these unpatriotic japanese"
The statement said foreign intel
ligence and propaganda agencies
were usually economic organiza-
tions, religious bodies and communi-
cations enterprises" which largely
conduct activities within the law
because of powerful counter-espion-
age, which it said makes illegitimate
activities difficult.
ut is a matter of regret that
Japanese who establish contact with
foreigners with the intent to pro-
mote international friendship play
into the hands of other parties, with
the result that they furnish informa-
tion to the detriment of the coun-
try" the statement declared.
Economic Plans Pushed.
The japanese conception of a new
Asiatic order now includes control
of vital raw materials which are not
obtainable in the yen bloc"-Japan
and the regimes she dominates.
The new cabinet of Prince Fumi-
marc Konoye has emphasized the
need of eliminating economic de-
pendency on other powers.
Behind the curtain of military
power. Japan actively is pursuing
her economic policies.
Of the Japanese inspectors who are
controlling traffic through French
Indo-C China to China, has arrived
from Hanoi to report to the War
Office. Some newspapers thereupon
predicted new policies would be fol-
lowed in Indo-China.
Chuichi Ohashi, leading candidate
for the position of Vice Minister
of Foreign Affairs which he held
prior to 1882, is reported visiting
Batavia, Java, in the Netherlands
Indies, to which two missions and a
high-ranking permanent representa-
=, tive are to be sent.
Besides her interest in raw ma
terials Japan also seeks to develop
markets, probably through barter
deals because of her lack Of foreign
exchange reserve.