Shanghai, June 6, presentations made to the French' and British authorities in Shanghai in connection with the alleged abuse of foreign flags by Chinese forces, a similar note was handed to the American authorities yesterday by Mr. Morishima, Counsellor of the Japanese Embassy, it was revealed at the Japanese press con ference yesterday.
Outlined in the note, a Navy spokesman stated, was the fact that Americans appeared to have the impression that the Japanese were ignore ig the property rights of foreign n: als. This, it was pointed out in the note, was entirely erroneous as the Japanese forces scrupulously respected all such properties but their efforts had been made difficult by the Chinese forces, which misused foreign flags.
Accompanied by photographs de-pieting alleged misuses of American property by' the Chinese forees, the text of the note was handed to the press as follows. The Japanese naval Authorities have noted with regret that owing to the unfortunately mimerous eases of damage to American property that have occurred as 0 Fesult of bombing by Japanese naval fireratt since January of this. year, the Americans appear to have gotten Catholics Protect Nantao Property Shanghai, June 8.
{An Incident may develop in Nantao it the Chinese police there insist on Yearing down Houses belonging the Catholic Church or to remove oe building material which formerly were parts of the church property inthe war-torn native city, It was learnt yesterday. The tearing-down process in Nantao-has been going on for a tone time and it is a fact Known to Chinese circles that old bricks and other building mate from destroyed houses have been sold, inmost casex without the knowledge of owners many of whom live in foreign settlements refugees, 'On June @, when many workers vere trying to remove such old building' materials which belong to Catholic Church at the alleged request of Chinese police there, a French Father went there in time to prevent the workers, from doing x0. According to a Chinese report, there way a dispute between "the French Father and Chinese police on the spot and it is stated that the French Father threatened to make 8 report to authoritative quarters ix a basis for representations.
Most of the Catholic Church proerty is located in Tung Ko. Doo, outside the South Gate of Nantao where a Japanese-sponsored Chinese administration has been functioning. Several hundred" houses of the church are reported to have been destroyed in the Shanghai hostilities but some of the houses still remain intact. On the morning of June 6, the Nantzo police are reported to have hited workers to remove the old building materials in order 0 dis box of them to their own advantage, For some time, the tearing-down process has been a subject of eon: tention between the Nantao police and civil officials in the native city. according to the report. The Nantao police are said to have posted posters fast month informing the populace that they had been ordered' to. tear own damaged houses.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.