Alameda, Dec. 25.
The United States Government today prepared extra, unusual precautions to assure the safety of the motion pictures taken aboard the 1.58. Panay by Mr. Norman Alley, "Universal Newsreel cameraman, during the Japanese bombing of that vessel on the Yangtze River.
The precious films were due to arrive here via the China Clipper on Monday and the Government sought to prevent any effort that might be made to destroy the incontrovertible proofs of Japanese intent in the bombing.
The Pan-American Airways will place an extra guard at the airport. but U.S. Secret Service operatives will also be on hand to protect Mr. Alley and his films.
An armoured truck will take them from the Alameda to the Oakland issue.
The "Washington Star," in its leading editorial to-day, declared that report by Lieutenant-Commander J. J. Hughes, captain of the U.S.S. Panay, makes it impossible for the Japanese convincingly to dispute the fact that the attack on the gunboat was premeditated and unprovoked.
"It was more than an act of war the editorial said. "It bore far greater resemblance to piracy."
Commenting on the Japanese note, the "Star" said it "may suffice to close an ugly incident in a technical and diplomatic sense, but it will not strike the American people as either honourable or at all commensurate with the magnitude of the misdemeanor".
"The Government and the people of the United States did not dream of making Japanese affronts to our ships or flag or our rights in China in itself a cause for war, But that it will serve to spur other action by this country designed to obviate the remotest risk of repetition is a foregone conclusion," the "Washington Star" said—United Press. airport and six detectives will accompany the chartered plane to Washing-ion, where other armoured cars will wait and take them to the Department of State, Mr, Alley took the pictures from. the top deck of the Panay. He kept grinding his camera as the Japanese planes dived low over the stricken vessel and shrapnel flew all about him, until the order was given to abandon ship.—United Press
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.