Page
Court
MASON'S
DELICIOUS
O.K.
SAUCE
日初月資拾年丑丁
EXTRAORDINARY
Hongkong Daily Press. I T
Registered as a Newspaper at the General Post Office in the United Kingdom.
Editorial and Business Office: 15-19, Queen's Road
Central, Tel. 30251.
Night Editor (Wanchai Office): Tel, 24511.
London Office: 53, Fleet Street E.C.4.
The Baily Press.
友之國中
HONG KONG, DECEMBER 5,
SEDUCTION OF CHINA
ESTABLISHED 1857
HONG KONG, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1937.
One of the things which greatly, disconcerted the militarists of dagan in the early part of this yefr was the sudden welding into one single,' solid unt of all the Chinese political tactions which had previously been at variance, either secretly or openly, with the Coral Government Be with one another. Marshed Chung Kai- shek began more than two years ago 10 make the country, in reality, a.med entity; the first noticeable step was the establish- ment of Central authority in South China, and the final success came with the Sian incident in December last and the subsequent absorption of the Mao Tse-tung forces into the National Chinese army,
日拜禮 日伍月弍拾年卅佰玖仟堂英
JAPANESE INVASION OF SOUTH CHINA
EXPECTED AFTER FALL OF THE CAPITAL
ELABORATE PREPARATIONS FOR
EMERGENCY
BY E.R. ELLIS
So effective was the recent Japanese bombings of the Chinese railway systems at Canton that the train service from that city to the north has been completely disorganised. The bombings began, after a lapse of several weeks, on the day following my arrival in Canton on a journey which I hoped would take me as far north as Nanking whose defence. I was particularly keen to witness.
"
Since then the line to Hankow has been bombed every day without exception. The damage dere has been enormous but all along the lue hundreds of workmen and material have been gather- ed ready for use and several trains were able to leave Canton, bus with so much war material and troops to be transported, accommodation for civilian passengers has been almost unobtainable. I was Informed by the Canton authorities that it would be at least a week before I could obtain a passage to Hankow and so here I am back in Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, life in Canton and Kwangtung generally continues normally and the rank and fle of the population are going about their business in the ordinary way, scarcely worrying about Japan- ese bombs, or the war for that matter. During the air raids hawkers continue to cry their wares as usual, the coolles pull their rickshaws up and down the city, and the usual group of poor folk I could not help noticing, however, chatter and laugh unconcernedly in paractically every open spot.
that the more affluent locking people were quick to seek cover in the lobbles and verandahs of hotels. and big buildings, all of which are well sandbagged.
I asked the efficient young lady at the reception office of my botel whether she was not afraid of bomba.
"Oh, we don't care. We only die once," camd the reply. That at-
This was the one great factor which precipitated an open outbreak between the two countries. Japan had for many yok. not only looked with favour on civil war in China and the division between China's leaders, but she has more than once encouraged. and fostered the establishment of independent regiųtes, So long as China did not become a unified nation, and as long as Centraltitude is typical of the young wo- authority did not extered into each and overy Province. Japan considered herself safe, and he was able in the circumstances to bully Chime into inaking concessions. But she knew that "the" Chinese stand would certainly the strong and unyielding once the country had achieved unity
This unity, won by purely domestic effort, has now been, if anything, made only more secure and assured by Japan's recent hostile actions. It must be very satisfying and encourag ing to the Central authorities to oliverve in recent months. the unanimity of the support which it has reenived from leaders and people alike.
Still, there is evidence to show that Japan has been making trendous efforts to destroy this unity. Japin knows that arms cannot conquer China; she well-realises that her only hope is to eliminate the last vestige of unified control. Ter agents have. therefore, been exceedingly busy trying to seduce one Chinese official after another, and now. Incked by a temporary military superiority in the Yangtse region, she is bent on reaching Nanking, hoping once in possession of the city to set up "puppet" government there.
How far she has been successful in Juring Chinese official may be seen in the fact that oven those whose lasting loyalty to the Central Government might have once been questioned have at their own request asked to be relieved of command of their own troops, or of authority in their own areas, and be given in place command or government of other troops or other districts. They world surely not have taken such steps had they been not rom- pletely and unswervingly behind their Government,
As to the Japanese desire to create what she would call a de❘ facto government in Nanking. it needs only to be pointed out that If it was expected that the Chinese people themselves would how to that authority, foreign States would not have gone to such pains to instruct their representatives to keep bompany with the Nanking leaders who have withdrawn to Hankow. The only Government which Chinese would ranction and "foreign Powers would respect would not be Tokyo's choice.
Civilians killed on Chungshan Road by Japanese bomba,
|
rather dle than be Japanese sub- jects," said one of them and she added as an afterthought, "or sub- jects of any other nation."
fronts in the north and certainly not particularly successful on all of them. A campaign in the south would involve the employment of an army of at least 50,000 troops in order to cope with the enor mous man power available to the Chinese command in the south.
Such a Japanese army would, moreover, be fighting between a thousand and two-thousand miles: from home, a proceeding which Japan has never experienced in
INVASION EXPECTED
During my stay in Canton I met and talked with several of the manhood of China to-day. Educa- Mon has imbued in them a great leading officials, including His Ex- national spirit, and while a few cellency the Governor of Kwang- years ago the Chinese were known tũng." General Wu Te-chen, who throughout the world as indivi- graciously received me at his re dualists, or perhaps to put it n sidence. I learned a great dení little more generously, as familists, but much of the information hav-her previous wars. to-day under the stimulus of west-ing been imparted to me in confi- ern education and culture they are truly awakening to a national consciousness. And in this respect I do belleve that the emancipation of the Chinese woman is proving the keystone.
WELL-INFORMED PUBLIC
In Canton and other cities in Kwangtung and Kwangsl every schoolgirl frem 15 years of age and upwards is being put through an intensive and efficient course of training in Red Cross work and they are taking it all with courage and determination-courage in the face of what they firmly believe will sooner or later-sooner more Hikely--mean
their very war at doorstep with all the tragedy that would involve, and determination
the thing see
through to the bitter end. I know because I chatted with several of them on many occasions. Politically I was astonished at how well informed they were.
to
"If Japan were to win this war It would mean that we shall never again be allowed to strengthen ourselves. Japan will make us a subject race and we would all much
NO SHORTER
HOURS
NURSES TO CARRY ON AS AT PRESENT
London, December 5. The House of Commons 'threw out, the Members' Bill for reducing the working hours of nurses to forty-eight weekly. Nurses in the hospitals are at present working from forty-eight to eighty hours a week.
Mr. A. G. Erskine Hill, proposing
JJ
THE BRITISH LION dence I am unable to pass it on to There are other and even more readers of "The Daily Press." Important considerations, not the Journalistic yearning must there-least of which, perhaps, is what fore be suppressed in this case for the British Lion in Hong Kong- the common good. I can. however, would have to say if and when he say this much. The Chinese Gen-is faced with such a threat to the eral Staff is convinced that an armed "invasion of the south with the object of capturing Canton and thus cutting off supplies to the
lucrative trade which has been going on between this Colony and South China. Will he merely roar. one writer seems to think?
25
north is merely a question of time. Certainly if Japan were to take When that happens Cantón will control of South China, British form one of the co-capitals of | Interests might as well "shut up China with Chungking That is shop" and retire to more congenial only logical. The bulk of the sup-climes. That would be only na- plies to the north will be passing tural and nobody could blame the through Canton However inten- Japanese for such an attitude, for sively the Japanese, proceed with they will certainly not be here their air bombings, the railway to from any motives of altruism, Hankow will run somehow, but even if they succeed in destroying the railway they will never pre- vent road commumication which is now being pushed on with ali pos- sible speed. The only effective remedy for the Japanese would. therefore, appear to lle in the direction of an ärmed invasion and the capture of Canton.
Bolled down, it would appear that the world has reached the critical stage of the clash which had to come sooner or later to de- cide whether Japanese or Wes- tem influence shall be supreme in the Orient. How will the West act in this crisis? Millions of wes- terners with vested interesta in this part of the world and count- less millions of Chinese are an xiously waiting to see what the five different reply to the question will be.
That, of course, is easier said than done. Already their armies
fighting on
arc
JAPANESE
PARADE THROUGH
INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENT
| MEMORANDUM TO HEAD Of police forCE
Shanghal, Dec. 4. The right of Japanese troops to enter any part of the International Bettlement without previous hot!- fcation is reserved in a four- polat memorandum which WAK presented to the Commissioner of Police, Major F. W. Gerrard, by Col. Kusumoto, representing General Mataul, the Japanese commander- in-chief, following the parade in- cident.
The other points hre Firstly, the Shanghai Municipal
the rejection of the Bili, said that | Police shall take steps to prevent
a more comprehensive Bill should recurrence of Incidents such as the
bomb throwing during yesterday's Japanese parade,
be presented after the department- al enquiry that is being held at present regarding the matter. The Secondly, if the Japanese army Conservative member stated that regards these steps as inadequate, the LC.C. could afford a reduction | It reserves the right to take 'all
in the hours of work for its nurses but hospitals supported by the pub lic would find it difficult to do so. He suggested that reform should come from within rather than by legislature.--
Beuter.
necessary measures to preserve peace in the Settlement; and,
Thirdly, the Japanese army, re- garding the Shanghal Municipal Police incapable of mirectively sup pressing anti-Japanism, reserves the right to take any necessary
of
steps, including examination persons and search of property.
NO AGREEMENT In order that there may be no misunderstanding, says an official statement, the Shanghai Municipai Council desires it to be known that no agreement was entered into last night after the bomb throwing in- cident, between the Commissioner of Police, Major F. W. Gerrard, and Col Kusumoto.
A document was drawn up by Japanese officers, setting out the points made by Col. Kusumoto in the conversation he had with Gerrard before the withdrawal of the Japanese troops from Nanking Road.
Major Gerrard emphasised that he had no authority to enter into any agreement, and in order to make clear that the document In question did not purport to be an agreement, he endorsed it to the effect that he had read' and un-
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OPTICIANS
Price, 10 Cts.
NANKING DEFENCE
LINES SHORTENED
BUT CHINESE REPULSE ADVANCE OF ENEMY TROOPS
Shanghai, December 5
While the Japanese cinim that their forces are now ony uży kilometres from Nanking and are still relentlessly pressing on to the capital, Chinese reports have it that the Japanese drive has been checked near the village'of Lunchen, ten miles to the north- west of Changchow. The latter report adds that the Japanese offensive from Liyang. In the direction of Lishui, has been brought to a standstill.
Chinese forces, following the re-capture of Kwangteh and Sze- an, are now stated to be attacking Langkl, north-west of Kwang- teh, and Changing, north-east of Sze-an.
BISHOP'S APPEAL
Shanghai, Dec. 4.
The Chinese counter attacks are reported to have considerably re- stored confidence among the Chin- ese defenders on the right-wing where weakness was noticeable in the last few weeks. This, it was said, had a bad inuence on the ties to isolate Hangchow from the left wing but now the situation has, battle area- returned to normal.
Meanwhile, Nanking's defence line was further shortened when the Chinese troops withdrew from Tanyang to Chinklang and Quyung, but Chinese reports claim that the positions in Tanyang are still in the hands of a small detachment of Chinese soldiers.
Japanese reports state that there are now 300,000 Chinese concen- trated on the Nanking front- Reuter.
The Bishop of Cheklang has appealed to the Japanese authori-
Reuter.
FISHERMEN TO BE IDLE
London, Dec. 4. ' Trawler owners in Grimsby and Hull have decided to lay up 20 per cent. of the fishing fleets, which. will render 1,600 men idle.
They say this is the only way to save the white fish trade in these nshing centres. Reuter,
Play in progress at thé Navy-Ar my triangular tournament Rugby
match at Sookunpoo yesterday.
FRANCO IS NOT ··
RECOGNISED
Washington, Dec. 4. Mr. Cordell Hull,"in announcing that the American Consul in El bao has been given leave of ab-i sénce because the Nationalist gov- ernment was obstructing his return to duty, stated that the United States had no intention of re- cognising the Franco, regime.— Reuter.
THE WAR GOES
ON IN SPAIN
Franco Positions
Bombed
Barcelona, Dec. 4. The Government air force claim the effective bombing of Franco' positions on the Saragossa front, "according to an official communi- que which states that the Na- tionalists suffered great losses and much material damage as they were preparing to distribute troops material to the various
and fronts.;
DR. TRAUTMANN IN NANKING
Shanghai, Dec. b. Dr. Trautmann, whose name has been linked with the reports of Peace mediations, is still in Nan- king. It is learned that Dr. Traut- mann was asked by the Chinese for his good offices as mediator.
authorities Japanesc army
1n
Shanghai, however, show no dis- position to accept mediation by a third Power-
Lleuter.
STEVEDORES. ON STRIKE
Southampton, Dec. 4. Stevedores and members of the Transport Workers Undon refused to discharge Japanese goods which arrived by the liner; Duchess of Richmond, the latter returning to Canada still' loaded.—-
Reuter.
CORDIAL TALKS IN WARSAW
Warsaw, Dec. 4. M Delbos, and M. Beck had a long conference during the after- noon. Official circles stress the cordial atmosphere in which the A great number of bombs were talks are taking place. They des- dropped on Almindevar from where cribe the conversations as the dense columna of smoke, arose.normal contact between the Miniz- Road and rall communicationsters of countries linked by an al- were also bombed, creating serious lance but assumed, however, that dimculties for the transportation the Polish Minister, will raise the of Nationalist troops.
question of colonies,
Reuter
Heuter.