Washington, July 25. peoe to clear the atmosphere of a great many speculations, the Secretary of State, Mr.
Cordell Hull, today asserted that ihe American attitude towards the Sino-Japanese hostilities had undergone no change right from the first outbreak of fighting, Mr. Hull also announced today that the Gaimusho had informed the State Department of the Anglo-Japanese accords, although London had sent no communication on this subject.
Dealing with the closure of the Pearl River, waterway leading fo Canton, by the Japanese authorities, he indicated that the United States would adopt an attitude identical to that it adopted when the river was closed for the first time.
American citizens, Mr. Hull said, would be warned and advised to take precautions, but the full responsibility of the Japanese authorities for any incidents or damages that might occur to American interests would not be affected.
American isolationists today were making capital out of the Craigie-Arita agreement in Tokyo, which has given them new and potent arguments against the Administration's foreign policy.
Indicative of the prevailing attitude of many Congressmen was the statement made by Senator Hiram W. Johnson, Republican ani noted isolationist of California, He claimed the {Tokyo accords proved Congressional wisdom in refusing to amend the Neujrality Act as requested by Administration partisans, His declaration mirrored Opinions which incline towards distrust of European diplomacy. Isolationists are now furthering their arguments that Britain and France "always give way when a dagger is placed against their throat" The United States could only lose by linking her case to those of the European democracies, they stated today.
At the same time, however, the major section of Congressional opinion fuly approved of Mr. Cordell Hull's advice to American citizens in China, telling them that ihe Japanese authorities would still be held responsible for any incidents or damages caused.
Congressmen emphasized the United States' determination to maintain the Open Door in China and refuse to recognise violations of international law.—Havas.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.