Hankow, Nov. 21.
The incident at Wuchang on November 13, in which Japanese soldiers are alleged to have hurled a bottle of carbolic solution at the face of Dr. Logan H. Roots, an American missionary, and insulted the American flag, was described as "exaggera ated and unfounded" in a "protest" issued to the press today by the Japanese Consular spokesman.
The Japanese, the spokesman declared, had made an investigation and had found no evidence' that a bottle filled with carbolic solution had been hurled at Dr. Root's face. nor any fact showing that the American flag had been insulted.
Owing to language difficulties, he added, Dr. Roots and the Japanese soldiers found difficulty in conversing.
While talking, mostly gesticulating, the spokesman asserted, a carbolic solution which was carried by the Japanese in a sprayer to disinfect Ghinese refugees was accidentally sprayed over Dr, Roots.
In conclusion the spokesman said that Japanese soldiers had been behaving well since their entry into Wuhan.
The incident was the subject of a strong protest by the American Consul-General here, Mr. Joscelyn, to the Japanese Consul-General on November 15.—Reuter.
Most observers here interpreted this portion of the reply as an indirect rejection of the principles of the Open Door and of the Nine-Power Pact.
Mr. Joseph Clark Grew, American An: bassador to Japan, made an official call on the Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr. Hachiro Arita, at 3.30 this afler noon.
It is understood that during the conversation Mr. Arita amplified certain portions of the Japanese reply to the American note of October 6. No details of the conversations were divulged.—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.