Assured that Dr. Sun was back his post in normal health, we said the man in the street. would fail to understand why an interview could not be granted, especially as Dr. Sun Yat-son had allowed him-elf to be interviewed by pressmen in times of crisis before. Mr. Chen eplicil that he thought it an impertinence that Dr. should be asked to display himself to prove that he was alive, simply because his enemies had maliciously circulated reports that he was dead. To this we replied that many things which the private individual would resent, a man in Dr. Sun Yat tate, and Mr. Chen him-isted that the reports would cause serious harm. Mi Chen said that he would resent it very strongly were he in Dr. Sun position. Mr. Chen asked if sim Jar demand would have been made if the same position had arisen regarding King George. Was Di 'Sun Yat-sen' to grant interviews to every Tom, Dick and Harry who ame to Canton? Our answer was that the parallel was not eonnd because King George's death would not have the same political and fin-Aneial consequences that Dr. Sun Yat-sen's death would in view of the peculiar circumstances proval ing, in Canton to-day.
But after all, we reminded Mr. Chen, these were only incidentals. 'They' did not alter the fact that we had been instructed by Mr. Cox to secure an interview with Dr. Son if possible go as to put the ques, tion beyond all doubt, -Mlr. Chen replied that the, damage had been done anyway and he certainly thought Dr. San would not grant the interview. The decision, added Mr. Chen, dd not rest with himself. ether, pat be would strongly. advise Dr. Sun not to see anybody. He urged that no further, denial was necessary: Had he not, as a responsible official of the government, already stated that. the reports were untrue, and was it likely that he would issue, under his own name, any. statement that. must Inter be proved untrue? After all they were not children nor were ent they madmen. Were Dr. Sun Yat-sen really dead, the fact was bound to become known sooner or. later since they could not hide it for ever.
The So-called Denial.
We pointed out that the official denial consisted of a single personal otatement from Mr. Chen to the Hongkong Telegraph", whereas in the past it had been the custom for official conmuniqués to be issued the.name of the Gencralissimo's office as in the case of the attack on Waichow last year when the statements were sent to all the papers. Although the question of Dr. Sun's supposed death had been raised publicly as long ago as last Tuesday Mr. Chen had not issued until Thursday afternoon, the usual official statement for all the papers as in the past. Indeed a rigid censorship appeared to have been imposed in Canton; Mr. Chen said that Mr. Cox was a personal friend of his and that he would write to him. Mr. Chen added that he had met the editors of all the Hongkong papers and they knew that they had only to ask him and he would give them any information they wanted. However, if an official conmuniqné was all that was required one could be issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and sent to all papers.
We replied that while we would be only too glad to give the fullest publicity to any such statement the question would remain why Dr. Sun could not grant the interview.
Libel Actions Threatened.
Mx, Chen repeated that the damage had alrendy been done and the only action they proposed to take now was to start libel proceedings against some papers, both Eng-and Chinese and to prosecute the Hongkong Chinese paper which had distributed free circulars announcing Dr. Sun's death. After remarking that these were slow and unwieldy processes, we observed that it would be difficult to reconcile this inevitable delay with Mr. Chen's anxiety to have the reports corrected when the interview we desired offered such a quick and effective alternative. Mr. Chen then queried whether we knew Dr. Sun personally and one of us replied that he would know Dr. Sun Yat-sen at once.
After reflecting for a moment Mr, Chen reiterated that he very much resented the suggestion of an interview and would strongly advise Dr. Sun not to grant it. Having regard to the serious damage that had been done by false reports—the financial effects had been felt in Shanieen already—Reuter's might find themselves involved in actions for ibel entailing millions of dollars.
We said without discussing that, could not possibly be a libel to send cables stating that an inter-jew with Dr. Sun had been sought by Reuter's representatives and givig the reasons why that interview was refused. Therefore, if the terview was refused, we must have the official reason to take back.
Repeating that he thought it most improbable that the interview would be granted Mr. Chen asked us to wait half an hour while he went to headquarters.
The Retort Discourteous.
When he returned from headquarters Mr. Chen typed out the following statement and handed it to us without comment: of" dendt® renee ove te enemies aid foul
Chen was asked in what official capacity he was issuing this statement he replied that would sign it. This he did, adding under his signature "Private Seeretary to Dr. Sun Then we are to take this, we the official reason why Reater's special representatives
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.