GERMANY AND FAR EAST
Advice To Britain And U.S.
The Far Eastern situation continues to be the focus of political Interest here, mainly from the point of view of the helplessness of the Western democracies in face of the Japanese menace to their rights and interests in China, writes à Berlin correspondent.
Sections of the Press, ever ready to make capital for the "world- political triangle," Japan-Italy-Germany, out of the achievements of the Japanese armed forces, have already described the establish- ment of the new provisional Government in Peking as the beginning of a new era in Eastern Asia, to which all the Western Powers will have to accustom themselves as best they can.
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS," FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1937.
CHINESE DOUBT
JAPAN'S WORDS
No Peace Possible Unless Integrity Respected
Hankow, Dec. 30. Certain Powers. It is reliably learned, are again active
in at- tempts at mediation, but owing to the failure of the previous attempt there is also small likelihood of success in the present venture. All Chinese circles are maintaining a ¦ strong stand and contend that to give any information at the pre- sent juncture may kill whatever little chance of success that exists. Meanwhile Chinese circles are
on
General Matsul's statement. They want to know the "meaning" of his utterance that "Japan has
This is not to be taken as in-tacks on a British ship which bad dicating that Germany will take three German diplomatists on the first opportunity of recogniz-board, while no reference was made ing the new Government. Little is to this step in the Press. The news- known about the Peking Adminia-papers, indeed print ironical arti-anxious to have further elucidation tration so far except that it seems cles on the outcry made in Great to be compounded of veterans Britain and America against the whose political careers were Japanese attacks on foreign war- thought to le far in the past, For the rest, General Chiang Kai-shek still lives, the future course of hos- titles is unpredictable, and Ger- man trade with China is larger than that of any other country States and
the United
except Japan.
In these circumstances the more
moderate official quarters will try
and wants to give China time to consider her attitude.
|
MOSCOW NAMED BEHIND
PARIS STRIKE WAVE ALLEGED BLACKMAILING METHODS OF POLITICAL GANGSTERS
TRANSPORT WORKERS RESUME WORK
Berlin, Dec. 30.
Commenting on the successive strike waves which have been breaking over France during the past year and have now reached a dangerous climax in the general strike of Paris transport workers the "Vocekischer Beofachter" writes that diplomatic considerations pre- vented the French Premier, M. Camille Chautemps, from naming in his statement to the press yesterday those who were responsible for the strike and who systematically ferment disorder in France. Other- wise, says the paper, the Premier could have had to name the allies of his own country to whom the latter were bound by military and cultural pacts.
o'clock this morning to call off the strike and order the immediate. re- sumption of work. The resolute action taken by the French Gov- ernment and its threat to employ troops for maintaining all essen- tial services have. Induced the strike leaders to give way as they
ing matters "to feared the consequences of allow- come to a head. Apparently they have accepted the Träde Union's advice to show moderation although the Trade Union headquarters have been sur- prised by the quick response to their appeal. It is generally ex- pected that Paris will return to normal conditions during the early hours of to-day.- Transocean News Sermine.
But everyone, according to the paper, knows that the fermenters of the strike are to be found in Moscow.
Only a few days ago it had been ships and merchant vessels in the no territorial" ambitions in China openly admitted in Paris that the new strike wave in France had a Yangtze. The writers and it very easy to explain the incidents as
purely political" character which, in plain words, means that it had mistakes made in the confusion of
General Matsui's statement, they battle by the Japanese airmen and point out, seems hardly compatible
been dictated by Moscow. The paper goes on to say that what the gunners. That they are painful to with the Japanese occupation of
was now all concerned is admitted. but it is Tsinan and the advance of Japanese France is the result of well-known witnessing in world asked what else can be expected if forces towards Tsingtao. The es-blackmailing methods of political Britain and America send ships tablishment of the so-called "pro- into the war zone or do not with-visional government" "at Peiping. Sangsters of Kremin who under draw them in time. According to and the ultimatum
the pretext of collective security to remain on the fence until they
delivered to
are everywhere. secking to destroy the the "Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung." Gen. Yen сап see more clearly into
Hsi-shan to sever, bis future. They will, however, have the British and American warships connection with the Central, Gov-
security and sowing the seeds of discontent and disorder- to reckon with Party influences had no more right to expect that
ernment and co-operate
with
Transocean News Service. which having hitched the Ger- they would not be fired upon than
Japan. man wagon to the star of the anti-would a neutral ship had it wan-
Chinese circles state that peace dered into the middle of the Bat-or continuation of war depends Comintern Pact, are prepared to 1ose a little commercially if, it will tle or Jutland. Britain and Amerl- largely on the sincerity of the
ca are advised to keep their ships Japanese military to help to to justify the "triangle" as a decisive factor in world politics. out of the danger zone instead of their assurances to respect China's Meanwhile, the Party extremists exposing them to unavoidable ac-territoral and administrative in- JAPANESE FAIL IN ATTEMPT TO- are restrained somewhat by the fear that the disappearance of General Chiang Kai-shek would mean Bolshevism in China.
THE YANGTZE OUTRAGES It is perhaps typical of this divided sentiment that the Foreign Office should make representations to Japan In connexion with at-
SPANISH WAR
Big Offensive On. Teruel
Saragossa. Dec. 30. Nationalist forces of consider- able strength, backed by massed artillery and aircraft formations. were hurled against Teruel yester- day in a big offensive in the seven mile front whose main aim is to relieve the garrison still holding out inside the town. According Nationalist sources twenty divi- sions of infantry are engaged in this battle.
A bulletin 1ssued from General Aranda's headquarters at the end of the first day's fighting says that the enemy's positions had been taken in a storm to a depth of two kilometres. Counter-attacks launched by Reupblicans have been repulsed under heavy losses
carry out
cidents by standing on so-called tegrity. Without such respect. rights to maintain warships in the they declare no peace is possible.- Yangtze. In any case, it is gug-Reuter. Kested, rights which cannot be en- forced can hardly be said to exist.
7 can hardly be said, however, CONSTITUTIONAL
that Germany took such a prac tical view of the situation when her own ships were endangered in the Spanish war zone..
POPULAR FRONT OCCUPIES FIRST PLACE
CRISIS
Egypt Situation" Acute.
!
FEARED CONSEQUENCES
Paris, Dec. 30: The transport strike leaders decided at 4.30
CROSS CHIENTANG RIVER
Kinhwa, Dec. 30: Japanese troops
on the north bank of the Chien-
tang River made an unsuccessful JAPANESE
attempt to cross over to the south bank last night.
Taking advantage of the drench-
PROPERTY
ing rain and darkness a detach- IN TSINAN
ment of Japanese troops, armed with machine-guns, tried to cruss the river in five launches late last night.
Chinese forces on the south bank remained quiet untu the invaders came near and then they
London, Dec. 30, The Egyptian constitutional crisis has become stili more acute with the rejection of King Farouk's pro- posal to elect a mediator, accord-sprayed them with machine-gun fire. As a result, the Japanese were practically wiped out.
Washington Informering to a report from Cairo yester
Of Contents
day which states that rupture be- tween the King and the Cabinet is unavoldable. It is expected that
Paris, Dec. 30. Addressing the final session of the of the Senate, Ahmed Maher, with provincial congress of the French the formation of a Cabinet. Communist Party. M. Thorco, Gen-Transucros
eral Secretary of the Party, repeat-
ed once again his assertion about
DISORDERS FEARED,
Early this morning the Japanese sent out an engineering corps to
under the barrage
DESTROYED
FOREIGNERS SAFE
SPEEDY
KOWLOON
CANTON
RAILW
ECONOMICAL.
NOTICE
On and from January 1st. 1938, the following revised fares will be in operation between Kowloon and Canto, and vice versa.
17
From Canton
From Kowloon (Hong Kong Currency)
(Chinese National
Currency)
1st. class
$4.80
$5.00
2nd. class
$2.40
$2.50
3rd, class
$1.20
$1.25
R. D. WALKER,
Manager & Chief Engineer.
THE
HONG KONG.
PENINSULA
HOTEL;
KONGKONG HOTEL; REPULAR BAY HOTELS
&
SHANGHAI
APTOR HOUSE; PALACE HOTEL;
HOTELS LIMITED
In asociation with the Grand Hotel des Wagona Lita, Poking.
Tokyo, Dec. 30 BRITAIN'S PROTEST NOW
ANSWERED BY JAPAN
Ali Japanese public establish- ments at Tsinan including the Consulate-General, police station, official residences of Japanese: Cen-
the King will entrust the President repair the Chientang River Bridge. sula officials, the Japanese hos- which was blown up by the Chinese after their retreat from Hangchow pital and elementary school build- cover of a protectiveings were "burnt by Chinese troops before retreating from Tsinan ac- cording to Japanese reports which Chinese batteries on the south
adds that Japanese private houses bank replied and effectively shat-
were not burnt but were found to tered the Japanese efforts by kill-
have been systematically looted. ing over. 20
members of the engineering corps.- Central Neuis
Calro, Dec. 30.
his. Party being ready at any mo- It is stated that the Court on ment to take over the reigns of Thursday rejected on principle the Government of France. The proposals submitted by Nahas Popular Front, he declared, oc- Pasha of reaching a compromise so cupled first place among the peo- that it is now manifest that the ples of the earth excepting Soviet- differences in regard to the con- Russia. In reference to France's stitutional
cannot question anancial troubles, M. Thoreo main bridged over. Under the circum-i tained that these could not be at- stances political circles expect that tributed to the activities of the Nahas Pasha will resign in the
course of Thursday.
to the enemy. By noon all mill-Popular Front but, on the contrary,
tary objectives that had been set for the first day of the offensive had been reached.
Reports issued from Barcelona claim the capture of a monastery which leaves the defenders of Teruel with the elvil governor's re- sidence as the last stronghold- Transocean News Service.
ATTEMPTS REFULSED Madrid, Dec. 30: A war bulletin issued last night says the enemy had been making two big attempts to break through the Republican
to the fact that the Popular Front programme was not being fully carried. Finally, the French Com- monist leader made a plea for collaboration between communists and social democrats.- Transocean News Service.
ATTEMPTED ARMED
An
ROBBERY
Toy Pistol Used
attempted armed robbery
lines at Teruel. The first attempt.took place at 10.45 am. yesterday in the hills of Celados. W33 promptly repulsed. Fighting In the hills of Zorro, was, much more sever but here too the Nationalists and 'been unable to reach their ob- jectives.-
"consorcan
· BOMB PROOF CELLAR FOR' CASTLE
30: President; Barcelona, Dec.' Azana will, according to reports re- ceived here yesterday, shortly move to Castle Peraleda near Figueres-- Barcelona. The castle 'will'under- go considerable alterations. A bomb proof cellar will be con structed and the walls will be covered with armoured plate.--- Transocean News Service.
GLOUCESTER
ATTRACTIONS
when two men armed with a toy pistol and a dagger enteren No Village Road, first noor, threaten ing the amah who opened the door and asking her to keep qu'et.
She called for help, and the robbers ran away. No property was stolen and the toy pistol and dagger were picked up by the police.
#!
be
Grave disorders are feared in the event of the tall of the Cabinet- Transnerán News Service.
DISMISSAL OF NAHAS PASHA
Peace and order at Tsinan has now been restored by Japanese troops in co-operation with the so- called Peace Maintenance Com- mission organised by leading Chin- ese citizens with the Mohammedan general, Ma Liang, as Chairman,
All in the foreign colony includ- ing 50 Germans, 33 Americans, 38 Britons, 22 Czechs and two Swiss are safe,
The Chinese troops which re- treated from Tsinan apparently plan to rally at Tian.—
Calro, Dec. 30: "Unsatisfactory conduct of business" is given in the Royal decree as the reason for the dismissal from office of the Premier. Nahas Pasha. Informed quarters here state that the new Cabinet will consist of 15 members some of whom will be without | Reuter.
and that it is not portfolios Intended to include either the leader of the Wafdist group nor the President of the Chamber.- frunsocean.
FATE OF TSINGTAO
Shanghai, Dec. 30: The situation in Tsingtae according to Japanese military circies here recalls that of Nanking before the fall of the latter city. It is stressed that after the destruction of the wire- less station and cutting of tele- vironing district will be entirely graph and telephone wires by the cut off from the outside world.- Japanese. Tsingtao and the en-
fransacean.
Japan Not In Position To
COAL MINES BĻOWN UP
Shanghai, Dec. 30. Japanese coal mines at Nanting. Changking and Fangtse along the Tsinan-Tsingtao Railway were blown up by Chinese troops ac- cording to Chinese reports, Kleuter.
Invade South China At Present
.
OCCUPATION OF WONGCUM ISLAND RECALLS BOUNDARY DISPUTE
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
J
This brings to mind the boundary dispute between Macao and Canton
Note Not Considered To Be Entirely Satisfactory
FURTHER REPRESENTATION
FORESHADOWED
London, December 30: The Japanese Note in reply to the British protest against attacks on British ganbuats has been issued by the Foreign Office. It refers to the previous profound apology, the | Japanese undertaking to deal with those responsible and pay com- pensation. It says that the incidents were due to the fact that the units concerned took for granted that in the then existing circum- stances all foreign warships and merchant vessels had taken refuge from the scene of fighting and only enemy vessels were in the locali-· tles. It says also that visibility was poor, due to fog.
There was no room for doubt that they did not intentionally attack the vessels knowing them to be British, says the Note. This
to is proved by the Japanese giving, assistance the Ladybird's casualties "when" they discovered their nationality.
Although it had been established | ment, concerning a suitable date. that the incidents were entirely According to the "Daily Tele- due to a mistake, the Japanese graph" the contents of the Japan- Government had dealt properly, ese note have been in the mean- according to law, with the officers while communicated to Washing- concerned on the ground that they ton. All papers agree that the failed to take full precautions. Note not considered by the As regards guarantees for the British Government to be entirely future, the higher Japanese mili-satisfactory. tary commanding officer concern- ed immediately gave strict orders some points the Note leaves much that vessels on the Yangtse were to be desired in respect of clarity. not to be attacked unless they were Similarly the "Daily ExpressTM used for military purposes by the affirms that the question of pre- Chinese.
vention of future incidents have The Naval authorifles had issued only been vaguely referred to in strict orders to guard against a the Note and that in consequence repetition-of-mistakes in areas--it-may be possible that the British where there are vessels of, third | Government will address, a' further Powers, even in circumstances communication to Japan on the where caution involves loss of op- | subject- portunity in attacking Chinese Transocean News Service. forces.
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The "Daily Mail" asserts that on
.
Strict instructions reissued take ITALIAN LABOURERS the greatest possible care that at-
FOR GERMANY tacks are not made on lives and property of British and other
Rome, Dec. 30. a few years ago over this Island. nationals. Other precautions will
Negotiations for sending about Despite the fact that a Japanese be the communication of informa- 30,000 Italian agricultural labourers Invasion is not believed to be likely tion to the authorities of the to Germany have been concluded.
PONY AUCTION
Seven China ponies were put up Sousa at the Hong Kong Jockey for auction by Mr. E. V. M. R. de
Club's paddock yesterday after- noon, but two were withdrawn at
Canton, Dec. 30. juncture, particularly in view of the last minute. The results of While the recent scare at Blas recent events in Tsingtau. It is the other sales were as follows: Bay and the landing of Japanese estimated by observers that Japan 1938 sub-Grifin Bay ($1,300) marines at Wangcum Island near will have to transport 100,000 troops knocked down to Mr. Kwok Ha Macao-may--have caused some from-Japan-with--full-war-equip- wang: 1838 Sub-Griffin, Chestnut nervousness in some quarters, off-ment at the very beginning of their
for the moment although it is ex- Mr. Andrew and Sykes, fashionable ($800)
Wong Kwam-fan: cial circles in Canton do not be- contemplated campaign in South ballroom dancers, and Don and Griffin, grey ($15) Lt. Dobson: lieve that Japan is at present in a China and this number will have pected that air raids will continue, Dolly, who specialise in acrobatic China pony, grey (110) Mr. W. H. sumciently strong position to in- to be rapidly increased as the fight Governor Wu Te-chen and General Yu Han-mou, Governor of Kwang-. and Spanish dances, afe drawing 8. Davis; Election Time ($210) vade South China on a large scale. ing progresses.
It is pointed out that the Japan-
tung and Commander-in-Chief of big crowds to the Gloucester. They Mr. W. H 8. Davis.
ese forces are at present fully oë- and subsequent withdrawal from commenced their season here some
the Fourth Route Army respective-
days
still hot difficulty, and to-night, when the cupled in the Nanking-Shanghai Wangcum Island is generally re- iy, are making feverish prepara- ago, and are
garded as a test of the attitude of tions to strengthen the defences of favourites. During the Christmas Gloucester opens up to 3 am, by area and North China. The con-
of opinion is that the the Powers with interests in the the province. Already medical ser- revelries, patrons of the Glouces- special extension, the new numbers census ter encored them so insistently which they are putting on are cer. Japanese are devoting more atten- Pacine as the island belongs joint-vices are being organized in pre-
tion to Shantung at the presently to Portugal and China.
paration for eventualities, that they left the floor only with
tain to be well received..
The recent Japanese occupation
whereabouts of British residents and interests. — Reutec
The
states "Tribuna.” The labourers who have been chosen by Fascist
London, Dec. 30. at the beginitog of March and will NOT ENTIRELY SATISFACTORY organisations are due to leave Italy Japanese reply to thebe employed mostly in north Ger- British protest against attacks on
many and during this time will British ships in the Far East has receive the same wages as German not yet been published but the labourers of the same close besides diplomatic correspondent of the enjoying the same soets?' privileges "Tinies" states that publication as they receive from their Fascist will take place as soon as London organization at home and Tokyo have reached an agree} Transocean. Nema Service,