Imperial Valley Press

Japan Strikes at Salvation Army

TOKYO, Aug. 6. (UP)—Army authorities announced today the arrest of seven executives of the Japanese Salvation Army "on suspicion of espionage."

Extreme nationalist organizations, opening an anti-British campaign which they intended to spread throughout the country, demanded that Sidney A. Ringer, British consular agent at Shimonoseki, get out of town within a week and the anti-British people's federation announced plans for a gigantic demonstration here next Monday before the British embassy.

Tokyo gendarmes arrested Col. Masuzo Uemura, Salvation Army commissioner, Yasoo Senawa, chief secretary, and five others July 31, it was announced, and it was added that all were at present being questioned by the gendarmes.

Uemura as commissioner is commander of the Japanese Salvation Army. He is also a pastor of the Episcopal church in Japan.

Announcing the Salvation Army arrests, army authorities said in a statement:

"While the army recognizes that religion is necessary in the daily life of the people it cannot help but take drastic action against those organizations which under the cloak of religion become tools of spies and propagate foreign anti-Japan thoughts which are detrimental to the thoughts and livelihood of the general public,

"Such activities cannot be permitted by the army, which is gravely concerned with the national defense."

Representatives of the pro-Nazi pro-Fascist Tokohai organization and right wing youth groups made the demand that Ringer leave Shimonoseki, a key town in the important Nagasaki naval district in southwest Japan, the newspaper Asahi reported.

The organizations presented a resolution at the British consulate not only demanding that Ringer get out but that British embassy here and British consulates all over the country be closed.

Ringer, a merchant, is a native of Japan, to which his forefathers emigrated nearly a century ago.

He is Norwegian consul and Portuguese vice consul as well as British consular agent.

The anti-British people's federation here called a national rally for next Monday, in protest against British arrests, and telegraphed members in 120 cities to sent representatives for a demonstration of 100,000 persons before the British embassy.

In a resolution presented to Prince Fumimaro Konoye, premier, and the war, navy and foreign ministers, the federation demanded effective measures to insure the release of Japanese and a strong policy toward Britain.

A resolution was presented at the British embassy demanding release of the Japanese and withdrawal of the British from the Far East.