"Britain has subscribed to the League resolutions pledging assistance to China, and Britain is in a posithor: to do so, but has rejected China's appeal for a loan which is for the purchase of air defence equipment to protect her people from Japanese bombings.
"Britain's interests in China and also in the Far East are more important than those of any other Power. These interests are certain to be jeopardised if China is conquered by Japan, "For the traditional friendship between Britain and China, for the upholding of justice and humanity and for the respect of Britain's obligations under the League resolutions, we sincerely hope that Britain will reconsider her decision."
In reply to questions in the House et Commons on Thursday Sir John Simon said that various proposals had been made by the Chinese Government for obtaining a loan in Great Britain.
If in the present circumstances, he added, the Chinese Government found it possible to obtain a loan from British financial institutions, any request for Government approval would be sympathetically considered.
The Government, the Chancellor declared, had no power itself to grant or guarantee a loan without special legislation, which in the present circumstances it had not seen its way to introduce.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.