HONGKONG DAILY PRESS
INTERNATIONAL SITUATION
CABLE
AS
AS LAST SEPTEMBER: WAR OR
Germany Must Accept Danzig Population's Unanimous Vote
ROME, Aug. 16 (Reuter) -The newspapers here unitedly declared yesterday that the issue of war or " peace-over Danzig rests with the Democracies and ap- peal for a pacific solution.
Signor Ansaldo, writing in the "Telegrafo" says that the situation is as grave as last September and that "the German Government will, sooner or later, feel morally bound to accept the unanimous vote of the Danzig population manifested in a solemn form." HINT OF GERMAN ANNEXATION
"If, when faced with the German annexation, Po- lish militarists brandish Mr. Chamberlain's. blank cheque, we will arrive at a general war.
"The "Popolo d'Italia" writes: "All the problems in. Danzig have already been solved de facto in the pro- portion of 90 to 95 per cent. and there only remains the symbolical question of the National Coat of Arms.
"It should not be difficult to reach a solution, even if only a temporary modus vivendi, to lessen the ten- sion.""
SUDDEN AND SECRET MEETING: HITLER DID ALL THE TALKING
LONDON, Aug. 16 (Reuter){ The statement declares that Dr. The sudden and secret Burckhardt has a short conversa- meeting between Dr. Karl tion about internal Danzig ques- Burckhardt and Herr Hitler tions. does not seem to have pro- duced anything new, says "The Times" diplomatic cor- respondent.
All accounts from abroad "agree that Herr Hitler did most of the talking and explained again, no less energetically than before, his views in re- gard to Danzig and Poland and even wider questions.
Dr. Burckhardt had ttle chance to give his own views, although as
diplomatist he has his
*
own
shrewd opinion of how a peaceful
solution may be found..
"Peace Plans"
The statement denies that the Danzig Bigh Commissioner is going to London and adds: "I have not been to Geneva and have not had a meeting with the General Secretary of the League of Nations."
Alarming Reports
King Carol of Rumania. ...
KING CAROL'S WARNING
BUCHAREST, Aug. 16 (Reu- ter)A warning against any attempt to change Rümanda's frontlers was given by King Carol when speaking at Con- stanza, after a review of the Humanian, Fleet.
"Whatever is Rumanian can- not be given away," wald King Carol, and what is Ru manian will be defended"
"More than that--if any- body loves peace, he must realize that the frontiers as now marked out cannot be changed without danger and worldwide disaster."
N
GRAVE PEACE?
China War:
JAPANESE WITHDRAWAL
IN SHANSI
SEVERE FIGHTING NEAR TUNGLIU
LOYANG, AUGUST 16 (CEN- TRAL-HARD-PRESSED BY THE CHINESE. THE 2,000 JAPANESE AT YICHENG, IN SOUTH SHÄNSI, HAYE STARTED A WITH- DRAWAL TO HOWMA, IN THE WEST.
According to a Chinese officer, who just arrived here from the front, the Japanese suffered some 1.000 casualties during the recent combats in and around Yicheng. They have sustained further losses during their withdrawal as a cesnit of Chinese ambuscades on the way. Flerce fighting Is in pro- gress in the vicinity of Tsin- hsten, east of Tsinyuan in south- "east Shansi, where some 2,000 Japanese pushing westward are being held at bay by the Chinese defenders.
The Japanese have launched two. attacks allegedly with the use of poison gas.
A Japanese contingent staging a sortle in the suburbs of Chishan. in southwest Bhans!, was repulsed a few days ago.
Severe Fighting FOWLIANG, KIANGSI, August 16 (Central)-Fighting continues
at Changantow and Kiangyao, in the vicinity of Tung- llu, on the south bank of the River, In Southern
MAIL FRAUD unabated
SENSATION RECALLED
DIETRICH ADMITS
14 CHARGES
Yangtze
Anhwei.
A see-saw battle has been raging there since August 11 when the| Japanese commenced the offensive on the two towns. !
THURSDAY, AUGUST 17; 1939. -PAGE
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FEELING
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BRITISH OFFICERS' VISIT
PEIPING, Aug. 16 (Reuter)--` Capt. P. G. Parker, Language Officer of the British Embassy in Major Hennessey, .and Tokyo, RAMC., Medical Officer of the Peiping Embassy Guard, have re- turned here from Kalgan by alr.
They were allowed to see Col. C. R. Spear, the British Military At- tache, who has been detained by the Japanese in Kalgan since May 26. in the presence of Japanese officers and, by agreement, dis-
LONDON, Aug. 16 (Reuter)~~In the light of the information at
Fighting against great odds, the present available, says the diplo-
Chinese succeeded in repulsing the matic corresponent of the "Daily
invaders. Reinforced, the Japan Telegraph", responsible British
NEW YORK, Aug. 16 (Reu-ese launched a second attack on circles consider more alarming
following day under the that reports of threats and pres-ter)-Subjecting himself to the sure against Hungary are being possible imprisonment for 67 protection of a terrifle naval bar- circulated primarily to divert years and fines totalling $36,-rage. attention from the Polish-German; 000, George Dietrich, who was issue, which has been worked up arrested last year for grand around Danzig and the Corridor. larceny in the sensational During a Chinese attack on Anlu,
McKesson and Robbins mail north Hupeh town 64 miles north-small room. fraud conspiracy in January, west of Eankow, on August 13, the city 1938, pleaded guilty to four-puppet troops Inside the
mutinied and attacked the Japan ese from within.
It is considered that these remain the focal points of real tension.
In North Hupeh
SHABI, August 16 (Central)-
No concrete news has yet come of the meeting between Kerr Hitler and Count. Clano. Various "peace plans" are being canvassed, continued the diplomatic corres- pondent, but nothing is known of
The "News Chronicle" states that them in London and no plan is
Round Table Conference teen counts,
Dietrich will be sentenced likely to bear good fruit if it pro- between the Polish and Danzig]
Karl on September 20 when his Japanese lost 140 officers and men, poses to leave Poland out of the Nazi spokesmen and Dr. negotiations or ignores the pro-Burckhardt will take place in trial with several co-defen-two field pieces, dx light machine- guns, and a large number of rifles. gress which London and Paris have Danzig to-day as a result of Dr. dants opens, made towards defensive pact Burckhardt's visit to Herr Hitler. with Russia.
Official Statement DANZIG, Aug. 16 (Reuter)-The first official statement on Dr. Karl J. Burckhardt's conversations with Herr Hitler at Berchtesgaden. was Issued last night by Dr. Burckhard himself.
CURRENCY QUESTION IN CHINA
LONDON, Aug. 18 (Reuter) -- Reuter's Diplomatic Correspondent understands that there has been no change with regard to currency questions in China, on which sub- ject Great Britain is still in con- sultation with the French and American "Governments:
"A
This newspaper adds that the general impression is that so far the situation has not materially changed except for the fact that the Poles and Danrig Nazis are being brought to a conference table and that is a point gained.
SUDDEN SOVIET ACTION
MOSCOW, Aug. 16 (Reuter) --Without any explanation, the Soviet authorities suspended airlines fourteen important from Moscow yesterday, "until further notice".
ta
The services include those
Central Asta and
Caucasus.
"
HONGKONG'S DEFENCES ADEQUATE
Capable Of
Sandwiched by the Chinese, the
ALL QUIET ON BORDER
(Continued from Page 1) "With the intention of ascer- taining, if possible, the identity of the troops participating in the drive, I managed to get very close to the bridge at Lowu, scene of the bombing and killing of an in-
Withstanding dlan constable in February, when
Blockade
I could see the invaders in occu- pation of the customs but.
"They had taken off their tunica,
LONDON, August 16 (Reuter) and were cooling themselves in the familiar shade of an awning, and appeared "Some of us who Kre
our curiosity with with military conditions in the to regard East, feel it well to remind friend contemptuous indifference. and foe that Hongkong is by no was impossible for me to ascertain the what division they belonged to." defenceless 215
FEW REFUGEES
means
OS
ignorant may think." declares Col. the
Lewis Robinson, in a letter to the
Daily Telegraph."
It
There were not as many re- fugees coming into British terri- Col. Robinson, describes Hong-tory as during previous incidents, kong's defences and fighting forces added the correspondent. He saw The Lithuanian town of Gars-in detail and declares that Hong- only one person with a shot wound Swedish tourist stcamer caught on fire near Goeteborg.den, which is only a few hundred kong could withstand a complete on his arm, the man being imme Thirty passengers and crew jump-metres from the German frontier blockade for at least nine months diately cared for by first aid work.
Naval action, he says, could ers from Hongkong. ed into the sea to save their lives is ablaze. Since Garsden, as most! and were rescued by fishing ves-Lithuanian towns, is built entirely adequately be dealt with by fixed sels and motor launches which from wood, the fire is spreading and mobile guns and submarines. immediately. rushed to the "scene. so rapidly that it is feared that while a landing or an attack from Several passengers were injured, all 3,000 inhabitants will be home the mainland could be held up for
less, (TO) two seriously-(T.O).
months or years. d
CANNOT TOLERATED"
"A BRITISH GIBRALTAR BE PERMANENTLY
DUTCH STEAMER COLLIDES WITH
TUG IN `RIVER
LONDON, Aug. 16 (Reuter): The Dutch steamer Van Dyke to day collided with a tug in the River Tigus, the latter sinking Immediately. Nine members of the crew of twelve of the tug were picked up and boats and launches are now searching for the re- mainder.
BERLIN, Aug 16 (Renter)-"Gibraltar in English hands is a standing threat which Spain cannot per- manently tolerate," declares Dr. Goering's mouthpiece, the "National Zeitung" of Essen.
It adds: "Italy also has an interest in seeing that Gibraltar is a Spanish possession, not only because of Gibraltar significance in the English encirclement plans, but also since Italy's trade with Spanish Ameri- ca and the United States must pass through the Straits.
"The future will show whether England can hold Gibral- tar against the natural claims of Spain, which are again strong, but it is clear that Spain will not permanently tolerate a British Gibraltar any more than she can tolerate an international Tan-
"The Japanese report that Chinese soldiers had stolen Into British territory is de finitely untrue," according to the correspondent. "Observers on the Britisin side, all along the border pooh-poohed the report,"
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The British officers found Col Spear accommodated in a plain. Col. Spear said that Major he did not go out much. Hennessey examined "Col. Spear and found him well, but he is showing signs of the strain.
Col. Spear's captivity now totals twelve weeks next Thursday.
Shanghai Blockade Possible
NO ISOLATION
the
Change In Gauge In Line From Ziangyung To Border
SHANGHAI," Ang. 16 (T/Ocean)-In order to expedite com- pletion of the new railway line Haking China and Burma it has been decided, according to reparts reaching here from Xuman, to build a 280-mile long western section of the line running from Ziangyung to the frontier on a 60-centimetre gange Instead of one-metre range as originally planned.
In this way it may still be extend the network of transporta
all dificulties tion so possible, despite
as to cover Sikang and encountered, to complete construc- Chinal provinces as well as open tion of the 530-mile rallway lineup inaccessible parts of Yunnan within the fixed time.
known to be rich in natural rel | sources.
.:
A
A start was made in December
In spite of the "reduction of 1938 and it was hoped to have the gauge the new railway will have new line in operation by the end an
estimated minimum freight
of 1940. The work of construction capacity of 300 tons daily. More
is reported to be progressing over, it wil release for military favourably,
service elsewhere motor lorries AT PRESENT
The new railway" will cross both now being used on the recently SHANGHAI, Aug. 18 (T/Ocean) the Meking and Balween Rivers, constructed highway running from Reports from Chungking to the By linking up the railway line with the Yunnan border in the direction effect that the Japanese author-these rivers it will be possible to of Kunming.
tighten ties intended to blockade of Shanghai were com- mented upon by a spokesman of the Japanese Embassy in Shang- hal who declared that, for the time being, neither the International nor the French Concession need fear to be isolated, "The future position of the concessions would,
of course, depend largely on the development of the Far East con- tivities would persist Shanghal. flict. In case anti-Japanese ac
even after the conclusion of the agreement on. Anglo-Japanese, Britain's attitude in the Far East, Japan might be compelled to change her policy towards Shang- hat
It was imposable, however, "the spokesman said, to declare now what form of new Japanese policy RURAL WELFARE in Shanghai would take. Although the blockade of Shanghai was pos- WORKERS FLEE
sible then, it was unlikely that the Great anxiety is felt for the Japanese would decide on it.
The spokesman used the occa- fate of the agricultural projects of the Shumchun Rural Welfarehe Japanese expedition in China sion once more to emphasise that
Centre E
According to Mr. Chu Ka-chee, head of the Educational Depart- ment, who has just escaped from Lown village all the workers were able to cross the Border safely. into British territory but were forced to leave behind all their possessions and equipment
The ag cultural workers of the Centre at Tsol Yuk Welvage. saw the Japanese passing through out their way from Namtan o Shumchun before retiring Into th Colony
did not aim at territorial con- quests but had come to establish a new order in East Asia,
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