**Hongkong Daily Freak"-Dec. 23, 1939,
1
Delicious
Temperature: Max. 70; Min. 59.
WEATHER FORECAST:-NORTH AND N.E. WINDS, MODERATE TO FRESH; FINE.
OK Hongkong Daily Press.
The Better SAUCE
Registered as a Newspaper at the General
Port Offos in the United Kingdom,
報西
ESTABLISHED 1857
刺孖
No. 25371
號烧拾柒叁仟伍萬弍第
SENSATIONAL
STORY
HONGKONG, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1939.
OF
HOW HACHA WAS FORCED
TO SIGN AWAY CZECH
INDEPENDENCE NO DIVORCE Disclosures Based On
French Envoy's Report
SPECIAL TO THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS
PARIS, Dec. 22 (Havas)-Sensational disclosures, des- cribing how Herr Hitler forced old Professor Emil Hacha, President of Czechoslovakia, to sign away the Czech® inde- pendence are contained in the Yellow Paper issued by the French Government.
Ji
The information is based on a confidential report sent to Paris by M. Robert Coulondre, then French Ambassador to Germany.
Summoned by Herr Hitler to go to Berlin, Professor Hacha, accompanied by his Foreign Minister, M. Shvalkov- ski, found himself in the presence of a document drafted in its final form.
AMERICAN to
FEELING
NOT DEAD
Without wasting time, Herr Hitler immediately imparted to his visitors the information that the German Army has! Deen ordered to occupy Pra- gue at 9 a.m. the next day, whereupon he signed the document and left the room without another word.
#
NEW YORK, Dec, 22(Reuter)--
Left alone with three German Experience shows that the Ameri- delegates. Professor Hacha and M. can people are entirely ready to
Bay Shvalkovski were, for the next 151 draw the line between aggressor hours, subjected to a moral tor- and victim regarding the matter ture including a threat „ that 100 | -of air bombardment, says the New German bombers were ready to York Times in an editorial headed destroy Frague the next morning -Moral Embargo.”
at 6 am. unless the document was signed.
DURING WARTIME
CHUNGKING, Dec. 22 (Reuter) -The Chinese National Military Council has sent a communication to the Judicial Yuan that during wartime, when soldiers and officers are fighting at the front, divorces must not be granted by the courts under any circumstances 1, wives should petition for divorces.
Such petitions can only be taken up in accordance with legal proen. dure when the war is over.
XMAS HOLIDAYS
The offices of the Hongkong Daily Press will be closed on Christmas Day but will re-open as usual on Tuesday, Boxing Day. There will be no issue of the paper on Tuesday.
The next issue after the holidays will appear on Wed- nesday morning as usual,
Advertisers are kindly re- quested to send in their copy as early as possible today and on Tuesday.
15-19 Marina House, Queen's Bond Central,
G.P.O. Box No. 1
日安廿月弍拾年政拾叁佰千登露
AN UP-AND-DOWN KIND OF LIFE-This is the way they train The Boys who drive the Army's tanks. They get all the. movements they'll have in the real thing, and except for an
Sonra Vanager
ABOUT YOUR EYES,
A Word to the Wise is Sufficient. What you trust your precious gift of eight to a qualified and old establish.
ed bouse such as ours you know that you are giving your eyes the very best that can possible be given." Our charges are reasonable and dompare favourably with the charges of reput able and quakded optometrists at bome. We could sacrifice quality for rbenpress but that is not our policy. Only the very best is good enough for you eyes.
Safeguard Your Eyes By Consulting"
fazanus
JÖPTICIANI
Single Copy: 10 Centa
Price Per Month $3.00
STRIKES IN SHANGHAI
SPREAD TO
TO FOREIGN
FIRM: A.P.C. INVOLVED
Rice Allowance: Chinese
Employees Dissatisfied
SHANGHAI,DEC. 22 (REUTER) -- THE RECENT STRIKES THROUGHOUT SHANGHAI IN CONNEXION WITH THE RICE ALLOWANCE HAS NOW SPREAD TO A FOREIGN FIRM.
A large portion of Chinese employees of the Asiatic Petroleum Company," leading British oil concern, is at pre- sent striking owing to dissatisfaction over wages and es- pecially as regards their rice allowance.
The demonstration includes į clerks, boys and coolles in the
occasional sinking feeling in the stomach they're doing very well. Company's office on the Bund Adm. Nomura
t'ank you.
Restrictions On Sterling
"
Transfers
MEDICAL DEGREES CONFERRED
CONGREGATION AT UNIVERSITY The degree of Bachelor of Medi- cing and Bachelor of Surgery was] conferred on 12 graduates, of the
and also affects one Company's depots.
of the
The foreign staff; together with several loyal Chinese, continue to work but the normal office routine has beer virtually at a standstif since 11.15 this morning.
On Japanese
Policy
One of the Company's managers,CHINA INCIDENT"
& RE
OPENING OF YANGTZE
referred to, declared that the situation was not as serious as it seemned and believed that an amic- able solution to the present dim- culty would be reached very short-work towards "disposing of the
ly.
TOKYO, Dec. 22 (Beuter)—The
China Incident" was "making favourable progress,
while the
| American attitude towards Japan
showed some signs of improve- .
University of Hongkong at an in- BRISK DEBATES ment, the Japanese Foreign Minis
EXPECTED IN
FL
TOKYO DIET
TOKYO, Dec. 22 (Reuter)-Some
ter, Admiral Nomura, informed a namber of Japan's most influential financial leaders yesterday.
NATIONAL POLICY
Regarding
the re-opening of
H.K. AND DEFENCE REGULATIONS LONDON, DEL 27 (Renter) With reference to the new Order- in-Council announcing further restrictions on Sterling transfer formal Congregation held in the and classing Hongkong as a non-Great Hall yesterday afternoon. Sterling country, a leading Far
The degrees were conferred by Eastern nancis authority, inter the Vice-Chancellor, Mr. E. J. viewed by Reuter, expressed the Sloss, CBE, in the unavoidable opinion that the Order was due to absence of the Chancellor, H. E the fact that observance of De- the Governor, Sir Geotry North- fence Regulations in Hongkong
of the most tense and brisk de- the Yangtse to third power ship- cote, K.C.M.G. been lar and the has hitherto
Prof. L. T. Ride, Dean of the bates ever heard in the Diet are ping. Admiral Nomura is reported Order was designed to tighten it
Faculty of Medicine, presented the expected by observers to be staged to have said: "The re-opening of the river to free navigation will during the session which has been! "They are ready to take action
up.
graduates, who were:-- to make this line effective even
Gerald Moriss Abraham, Jolomon convoked for tomorrow, as never give considerable disturbance to though the policy is un-neutral sions Professor, Hacha was on the and even though we discriminate verge of collapse.
For Finland
vance by Bingapore has been very Bard, Chan Weng Cheong, Chengt fore in Japanese history has your interests on the spot, but as correct and "since the war began Kwok Kew, Miss Priscilla Merit there been so many vital domestic the river will be re-opened from a broader standpoint, of 'national and foreign against certain countries who do
STOCKHOLM, Dec. 22 (Reuter) and it
Ching. Fang Ching Wen, Fok Wing
policy, I hope you will bear the clarification. not like what we are doing.
A huge pro-Finnish demonstra- Hongkong. according to the de- Kal, Goh Kok Aun, Lim Soon "We have no reason to be dis-
tion was held in front of the fence regulations, to obtain per-Kool, Ma Chhn Chong Trang Great activity is taking place in temporary inconvenience and go ahead in realising Sino-Japanese satisfied with the result as it comes Hacha decided to save his people stockholm railway station yester mits for imports and for remit Kwong Kau, Mark Akim Yaroogsky-political circles as most Parties are
economic co-operation." their up meeting today to draw of tances against exports.
NO DIFFERENCE
platforms in connexion with the
33
a reminder feeling is not dead."
Maginot Line Defences To Be Extended
PARIS,
Contributors likewise earnestly asked to co-operate by sending in their "copy" early on these two days.
D
Towards the end of the discus- Swedish Volunteers
TO SAVE PEOPLE
At 4.30 a.m., that is, 90 minutes the deadline. Professor before
On the other hand, the obser-
is always necessary for
Erooga.
issues
demanding
The Minselto and Selyukat Parties are expected to co-operate with the Government.
Paravanes To Protect Dutch Ships
the horror of sudden air American from that
when the first batch bombings and finally signed the day
Swedish volunteers for Finland en- fateful document.
When leaving the room M. Shval-trained.
"So long as the nature of the OIL TANKER MINED coming session. kovki was heard to say: "Our They are under the command of imports and exports remains legi-
COAST OFF EAST not think that the nation will curse us but we have Captain Tann, who served in the timate, 1 do
LONDON, Dec. 22 (Reuter) I saved its existence and saved our Ethioplan Army as a volunteer new Order will make any differ-
people from a terrible massacre." during the Abyssinian War.
ence. The only possible difference Mined off the East Coast, the Bri-
In view of the fact that the might be in Chinese remittances tish oll tanker Bosinia (8,000 tons)
that the from the Straits to Hongkong for imped tato port with a slight ist political parties belleve
time has arrived for the restona- forwarding to China, in other accompanied by a lifeboat.
Forty members of the crew were tion of Party Government; it may words, China's invisible exports, but the amounts of these remit taken of by the Hfeboat and it is be expected that they will, all do It is learned that Holland is busy tances from the beginning of the understood that there were no their utmost to prove to the na-preparing paravanes to protect her
tion their ability to govern. casualties war bave always been subject to Hcence and have shown practically
Dec. 22 (Reuter)-De- fences at both ends of the Maginot Line will be extended and streng- thened, declared M. Daladier in the Chamber of Deputies today.
He added that French casualties since the war began were 1,136 in the Army, 256 In the Navy and-42 in the Air Force.
BIG GIFT OF LAND TO GEN. CHIANG SHANGHAI, Dec. 22 (Reater) ---Ten-thousand mow of arable lang lo Yunnan, belonging to the West China Reconstruction Corporation, has been present- ed to Generaliskimo Chiang Kai-shek as a gift by Chen Kno-fu and Exiso Cheng, Chairman of the board of directors and General Manager of the Company, respectivaly, according to a Chinese press report.
The land is being reserved "for agricultural development in the present national recon- struction programme,
GERMAN RAIL DISASTER
To reach their destination with greater speed, Chinese tanks used in the recent fighting in Hunan were transported over the highways by special trailers manufactured in Chinese workshops.
(S.H. Hṣia.).
Enemy Planes CONSTRUCTION OF
Off Firth Of
Forth
HUGE DOCKS AT PEARL HARBOUR Special to the HK, Daily Press
WASHINGTON, Dec 22 (Havas) ---The Government has placed an LONDON, Dec. 22 (Reuter)-The order for the construction of two
Air Ministry announces that enemy huge docks at Pearl Harbour, the aircraft were reported off the Firth US. Naval base in Hawali, capable
of Forth this morning and fighter of receiving the largest warships aircraft were sent to intercept including 40,000-tonners. them. 2!
Work is starting shortly with BERLIN, Dec. 22 (Reuter)—An--
At a considerable height, contact the view of completing the docks ether German ṛallway disaster oc- curred 50. miles to the south-west was made with an enemy plane, a within three years. The total cost
.of Berlin The Berlin-Hamburg express ran into another train and the disaster cost 70 lives.
Heinkel 3.
is estimated at over $8,000,000,
On being engaged the Heinkel
NEW DELHI, Dec. 22 (Reuter)—– dived into cloud followed by the.. This is one of the most serious leader of the British formation. Further contingents of troops from railway accident during the past Emerging between two layers of India have now reached Egypt. three months and total deaths cloud the enemy machine was re-
during that period amounted to engaged and after a further attack and was lost in the lower cloud
by the fighter it continued to dive level.
183
וי
THE HAGUE, Dec, 22 (Reuter}--
merchant shipping against mines.
In mid-September, 30 steel para- vanes were ordered from Germany
no diminution and are not likely FIGHTING PROGRESSES IN this being the largest quantity
ị tà do so now.'
"
T
Asked why Hongkong has been
classed as a non-Sterling country VICINITY OF NANNING:
although its currency is backed by Sterling reserves similarly to that of the Straits, the authority drew attention to the large circulation. of Hongkong notes throughout South China.
-
obtainable abroad at a time. Even in peacetime, however, “a paravane cannot be delivered in much less than 8 months. Others are being
CHINESE PUSH UNCHECKED made in Holland,
KWEILIN, Dec. 22 (Central)-Fighting has again been brought to the neighbourhood of Nanning.
On the Nanning-Wuming highway the Chinese are
"For practical purposes. Hong-pushing toward Santang, only eight miles north of
kang currency can be regarded as that of a foreign country and mea- sure must be taken to prevent the danger of its notes being used to divert Sterling into legitimate channels" he added.
the
2 naval
The Minister of Defence states that that it is not impossible
may Dutch shipping companies order further paravane, from Bri- tain, France and Italy.
Nanning, while on the Nanning-Pinyang highway they have advanced for approximately 12 miles, driving out
BURMESE MISSION the Japanese from Kunlungkwan and Paitang.
IN CHENGTU Behind the Japanese lines Chinese military circles at-ļ
CHENGTU, Dec. 22 (Central)— tach much importance to the Chinese continue their harassing
Yamchow and The Eurmese Goodwill. Mission recapture of the strategic pass activities around CHUNGKING, Dec. 22 (Renter) Kunlungkwan, the gateway Fongshing. In an attempt to re-arrived here from Chungking by
Raid Calendars are the to Nanning from the north-move the Chinese menace a Jap- plane yesterday morning.
Thousands of people, including latest household Innovation here. east. Extremely heavy casual-ese detachment and New calendars for 1040 are being ties were suffered by both landing party were dispatched for representatives of various organi- sations and schools, greeted the ing daily instructions on air raiding to the Chinese recapture place at Sheungtsin. Chinese flank- At a reception, Mayor Yank precautions.
on Wednesday.
ing attacks successfully drove the Chuan-yu welcomed the mission, It is said that Japanese air-Japanese back to Yamchow and He expressed the hope that the craft subjected the Chinese to Fongshing.
Mission will tell the true situation terrine bombardment to halt their Many casualties were malicted in Chms to the Burmese. advance, without success. Chinese upon the Japanese in another artillery effectively blasted the clash at Niukang where the Jay- enemy out of their positions.
Lasued, with official approval. gly sides in the engagement lead-mopping up" operations.
A two-day engagement took party at the serodrome.
On Other –
Pages
Softball.
-Polo tourney
09
SEPARATE CALLS
In the afternoon, the Mission: anese also retreated to Yamchow. EQUIPMENT TAKEN
ICHANG, Dec. 22 (Central)-Amade separate calls on Gen. Teng Considerably Japanese Military Japanese counter-attack the Esi-hou and Gen. Pap Wen-hua, equipment was captured by the Hankow-Ichang highway, in Cen-respectively Faciacation Commis Chinese during the last few days' tral Hupch. with the support stoner and. Deputy Pacification
of tanks has failed. Aghting.
Page
2
2
Coming events
3
Crossword puzzle
3
Talk on tea
5
A Central News correspondent.
8
9
Church page Radio programmés Finance, commerce
Commissioner of Szechwan and
In an engagement near Toapo-Elkang. Mr. Huang Chi-lu, member visiting the front, raw several Chiwan, on the east bank of the Han of the Oplum-Buppression Com- nese soldiers shouldering more than River, the invaders were defeated mission of the Ministry of Interior, ten captured Japanese machine with over 1.000 casualties. Several and Gen, Ho Kuo-kwang. Director guns to report to their superior tanks were destroyed.."
of the Generalissimo's Provisional Headquarters in Chengtu,
officer.
Continued on Page 7