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ANNUM
FOUNDED IN @+ZAZX## SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1932. BETЯE BOLE COPY 3 CENTS
Tel. 20269
NU. 13.01)
STRENGTH /
FORT
FORT
DUNLOP
The Time of Rugged Strength
"Sorth China Morning Post Bldg," Tel, 24554.
GREAT BATTLE BEGINS: JAPANESE MOVE OFF.
THE LAST HOPE OF
AVERTING
DISASTER GONE.
MACHINE-GUNS · RATTLE ALL NIGHT.
VIVID DETAILS BEFORE CABLE SERVICE BREAKS DOWN.
HEAVY AIR BOMBING.
Shanghai, Feb. 20, 9.14 a.m.
JAPANESE TROOPS BEGÁN MOVING! PREPARATORY TO ATTACK AT 7.30 A.M., WHILE TEN AEROPLANES LOADED WITH BOMBS WENT UP AND WERE SOON DROPPING THEIR DEADLY WEAPONS UPON THE CHINESE LINES IN NORTH CHAPEL MANY MORE MACHINES ARE WARMING UP AT THE AERODROME.
Japanese headquarters presents a scene; of intense activity. Several large detachments: of Japanese troops have been seen moving into the Chapei lines, ponies loaded with mountain guns are ready and six Japanese a tanks are outside the Japanese headquarters waiting orders to move off.-Reuter,
AWAITING THE STORM.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT).
Shanghai, Feb, 20, 8.10 am.
Our photo shows Japanese forces massed for an impending attack on a Chinese position, awaiting the order to advance. Picture was, of course, taken in earlier operations, but it gives a sèriking impression of the type of fighting the region impela.
UNITED STATES ATTITUDE.
HOPE NOT YET GIVEN UP.
NO FAITH IN LEAGUE.
Washington, Feb. 19. Oield eireles in Washington; have not yet abandoned home of
Sino-dapanese settlement with-
art sacrifice of life.
Mr. Stimsou fo-city nyain | handed to President over thej details of this Shanghai situation. I in connexion with which a longi conference followed.
The failure of the peace negotin-1 trons has bitterly disappointed; State Department offeinis.. who are artively discussing plans for handling such situations as may ! (rize from the fighting.
073-
The mon acement of the vocation of an Assembly meeting Thas been received with consider-
but the
generali feeling in offcial circles is that
Wu Tieh-chen, the Mayor, and General Tsai Ting-able interest, kai last night replied to the Japanese ultimatum by de-nothing the Lengue can de will claring that it was a matter for the Chinese Ministry alter Japan's decision to settle the for Foreign Affairs to deal with.
It was learned in Nanking later from Mr. Wang Ching-wel, the President of the Executive Yuan, that China's reply had been sent. The Government was un- able to accept the terms. I am reliably informed that the following cable was also sent to General Uyeda: "Received your telegram. In reply, I want you to understand that the Nineteenth Route Army only re- ceives its orders from the National Government."
*feld
Shanghai, as well as the Man- churia dispute, by direct negotia- tins with Chinn.--Renter.
STOP PRESS.
A Japanese armoured car, taken during the blackness of the night,
ready to make an essay against the Chinese lines.
MURDER MYSTERY BANDIT TRICK ON
DISCLOSED.
YOUTH FOUND. WITH THROAT CUT.
U.S. GUNBOAT.
NAVAL RATINGS HELD UP.
DRAMATIC LEAGUE
APPEAL.
LAST EFFORT TO AVERT
HOSTILITIES.
HIGH TENSION.
PLEA FOR EXTENSION OF ULTIMATUM.
Geneva, Feb. 19.
ȚIN AN ATMOSPHERE of high tension, a crowded public. meeting of the League Council was held this evening. Dramatic speeches were made and an elo- quent appeal was made to Japan to extend the period of the ultimatum in a last effort to prevent catastrophe. The discussion was followed with the utmost interest, particularly the verbal duel between Mr. W. W. Yen and Mr. Sato. Mr. Yen attacked the Japanese de- legate angrily at one stage.
Mr. Yen's statement of the action of the Japanese military authorities in Shanghai produced a deep im- pression on the Council Mr. Sato, speaking for an hour, delivered the longest speech in the history of the Council.
MR. W. W. YEN'S SERIOUS CHARGES.
M. Put Boncour, opening the| M. Paul Boncour then invited Council meeting, said they had Mr. Sato, the Japanese principal Imet to discuss the Chinese request delegate to reply.
for a special meeting of the AN- semily of the League.
MR. SATO'S REPLY.
The Chimes delegate having Mr. Sato Arst read a communica- asked permission to explain his tion regarding the loss of life in grave concern at the "news" from the Settlement by a bomb dropped Shanghai, 1 suggest. Bald M.by a Japanese aeroplane, which Boncour, that we Brat let him was the subject of British jaïtdress the meeting.
CHINA'S CHARGES.
in #451
on-
protest. It was a regrettable ne- eident, regarding which we have presented our ексився to the
Mr. W. W. Yen, rising, suid he British authorities.
He then replied to Sir John had already communicated various {telegrams denitng with
the Hope-Simpson's protest against the bombing of the refugee camp, Japanese atrocities. declared war, and had also drawn which was a regrettable error due ttention to the presence of more to the barbed wire entanglements than forty thousand Japanese round the camp which misled the soldiers in Shanghai and forty nvinters,
Mr. Sato said he must protest warships, using dum-dum bullets.
The Japanese are, he said, cront- formally against some of Mr. Yon's Road this morning, with his throat RANSOM FRAUD, ing a reign of terror in Shangital remarks, particularly the charge
and persist in using the Inter-of walng dum-dum bulleta national Settlement as a base of polaon gas. operations.
A murder mystery is, reported by the discovery of the body of a Chinese youth on the Victoria Gap |
above.
AL knife stuck in
his
(Special to "Telegraph")
com-
IMPOSSIBLE!
and
cut and stomach.
The lad had been missing from
EVE OF BATTLE.
Our troops have never unco his home in Shaukiwan since 7
Hankow, Feb. 20.
dum-dums, not even during the also repudiated in Russo-Japanese War. It Lo'clock on Thursday_morning, and¦
la im Bandits to-day broke faith with Mr. Yen nothing had been heard of his
dignantly the aspersions on the whereabouts until early this the Yangtze Rapids Company regallaut Nineteenth Route Army, possible. Let the Chinese delegate produco a specimen. Our troope morning, when his body was found starding the release of Captain euntained in the Japanese under the circumstances related Baker, an American, who was munication to the League yester- may have used smoke shells, but
never poison gan. day
Mr. Yon also said that we are captured on January 16th last o Mr. Yen added that the negotia-the aggressors and have also begun Four men have been arrested on hundred miles above Hankow. tlons between the Chinese and the attacks. Here again we must suspicion in connexion with the
It was agreed that ransom of Japanese commanders, as a result make reservations. We are obliged Inffair.
$10,000 ahould be handed over at of the good offices of Sir Miles to use force to defend ourselves Pailochi in return for the releass Lampson, came to naught and now and our lives. We never want to
had
presented
an attack unless It is inevitable and The murdered youth, Teang Tai-of the captive, and accordingly the Japan
unavoidable. U.S. gunboat Oahu proceeded to ultimatum, expiring to-morrow. kal, about 21 years of age was Pailochi with the Company's re- We are on the eve of a great)
Regarding the Ninoteenth Army reported missing from life parenta
battle in which a hundred thou-our Information from the spot
engaged. confirms our charges. house in Main Street Shauk wan presentative and the cash.
Upon the arrival, the Comman-Band troops will be on Thursday morning. Late that morn-
same evening a Chiness appeared der of the. gunboat wanted Cap-The situation is intolerable and I The interruption
at the house with a demand for tain Baker sent off to a lighter, request the Council to consider and to put into the immediately $10,000 ransom. for the lad's re- and promised to hand over
execution conservatory mensurça turn to his parents. The letter cash when this was done.
in order to prevent the Japanese threatened that, failing the pay-
offensive action. ment of the money. the victim would be killed and his head went to his parenta...
We are informed by the
Great Northern Telegraph Co.. that cable communica- tion between Shanghai and Hongkong has tally broken down since
10 o'clock this
Yesterday, General Uyeda made it quite clear that unleas the Chinese had commenced to withdraw their front line positions by seven o'clock this morning, as an initial move, leading to cam- plete evacuation by five o'clock this evening, he was prepared to commence action to enforce compliance with the ultimatum.
THE STORM IS EXPECTED TO BURST AT ANY MO.
MENT. OBSERVERS HAVE SEEN NO HINT OF CHINESE COMPLIANCE ANYWHERE ALONG THE LINES. The battle is expected to begin and now and then a at say moment now and there is burked its reply to the Japanese reason to expect that it will eitimatum. develop on a large scale to a wide It is believed that one of the area round Shanghai. -
biggest effort of the Japanese will
ing. be in the region of Woosung, Into ALL SET.
which district Inst night Thousands of Japanese troops very large number of Japanese
They have been pushed Into the lines. Infantry proceeded. The preparations for the attack ched in the darkness of the night are now complete, ready for ac- up the military road, where no- tion this morning.
one knows,
At the same time, the Chinese have further strengthened their linca in preparations to meet the offensive.
SCENE AT SEVEN.
кия
mar.
At seven o'clock this morning, your correspondent maile a tour of Thirty thousand Japanese troops the fighting zone, no close an he are now occupying approximately was permitted to approach and n' ten-mile front.
then journeyed to the top of the
It extends from Woasung to the Cathay. Hotel to await develop- borders of Chapel and it is be- ments.
loved that they will all leap for-
ward simultaneously
signal is given,
when
At seven, nu fighting between the Infantry was taking place.
machine-gung of both sides
Opposed to them are well over chaltering intermittently, and
60,000 Chinese troops.
MACHINE GUN DIN.
Chinese machine-guns along the
Chapel front
The Nro
an
occasional shell goes over.
Visibility is bad, although it la a good day."
The heaviest lighting is expected
made the night near Klangwan where Aring was: hideous with their perpetual din, steady all last night. -------
to-
is between Woosung and Shanghai, and is believed
to be due to the outbreak
of large-scale hostilities. The Company hopes, how ever. that communication
may be re-established later in the day, as arrangements have been made to cope with such an eventuality:
Later.
Money First.
JAPAN'S OBJECT? "What is the object of the
to
VAIN EFFORTS.
Mr. Yen, has anked the Council of to bring about, a cessation hostilities. We have done our utmost to atop hostilities and hoped for an agreement upon torma for an armistice, but our efforts were in vain.
are
The bandits, however, demanded the money Arst, and to this thei The man who presented the Company's representative agreed,
I shall explain why we ter was detained and the police Captain Baker himself assuring Japanese in seeking to force the
withdraw obliged to stay where we are, but summoned. Following farther the representative that would be Chinese troops
twenty kilometres in their own I must first explain why we quiries, three other men were full right.
A cutter from the gunboat was territory, while there is to be no reached the present crisis. rested and later the pollen wire
corresponding withdrawal by M. Boncour has told us that the: taken to a spot about half a mile then sent to the shore, manned them?" asked Mr. Yen,
Council will transfer the examina- they with U.S. ratings, while the guns
He added: The Chinese below Victoria Gap where
com- tion of the question to the As found the body of the missing of the Oahu were trained on the mander has said that his troops nembly at the Chinese requent. youth.
will obey orders and will resist do not know the contents of the When the cutter roached the the aggression,
resolution, but seeing that the Some days ago, he concluded, an Connell is about to transfor the shore, the captives seized the cash
addressed to Japan matter to the Assembly, this is the Grampian Road is the name given and hold up the boat's party at the appeal was
moderation to the road commencing at the Junc point of the pistol, then decamping Inviting
Inst time I can anak bafore the tion of Prince Edward Road and with the money and Captain Baker. Government vested with An in- Council and furnish ́ ́ explanations Boundry Street opposite Ma-Tau-Wei village and to the East of N.K.IAL. The Oahu was unable to fire for calculable responsibility before 1504. The road runs due north and fear of hitting the naval ratings or the public opinion of the world. terminates at its junction with an Captain Baker.
shore.
nsmod street at the north-east, of- The bandits are now demanding N.K.LL,-1882-------
|a-further-$50,000
from
What has been the Japanese reply 7-attacks, an ultimatum and continuation of aggression.
so that the Assembly may be la possession of all the facts of the canopies
This ensembs
Therefore thus we
(Continued on. Pareita Bick
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