Ма
Col. Cole
Evening News
HONGKONG
BRITONS
FORCED
TO
SWEEP STREETS
A British journalist, held by the Japs in Hongkong for three months, has escaped and reached Chung- king. He sent this cable to-day de- scribing conditions in the island colony:
A Japanese-made hell- that is Hongkong three months after its occupation.
Starvation faces a large pro- portion of the population. When the Japs occupied the island it was estimated there was nine months supply of food. But large supplies have been com- mandeered by the Jap army and shipped away,
Food supplied to prisoners of war is poor and insufficient in quantity. and there is much sick- ness. Civilian internees are slightly better, as they occasionally get fish and meat, while prisoners of war are given only rice and beans.
Attacked and Shot
I can confirm the appalling stories of murder and rape which have been reported. Many of the worst atrocities were committed in the presence of Jap officers..
They are only too true. Mapy of the women after being attacked were shot.
Several foreign women who were not interned have asked to be sent to camp. as they are not allowed to buy rice or any other daily necessities at official prices.
In carly days of the occupation Jap troops engaged in widespread looting, and men and women were stopped in streets and watches and money taken from them. Many of these acts were committed in the presence of Jap officers. Under the pretext of searching for arms Jap trocps. under the command of offi- cers, entered and ransacked pre-
mises.
Struck In the Face
Everything possible is done to lower the prestige of Westerners. Britons were ordered to sweep the road, while others carry away dead bodies. British subjects were struck on the face on the least pro- vocation,
All these incidents took place before the internment of British and Allied subjects. Notices were printed ordering
all nationals to report the following morning.
enemy
They were given a few hours to settle their private affairs, and only clothing and personal belongings were allowed to be taken. Inter- nees were concentrated in several third-rate Chinese boarding-houses. After about a fortnight all were removed to a large prison at Stanley, which is about four miles across the island from Victoria. No visitors are now allowed at Stan- ley. The plight of elderly people is perhaps worst of all.--Reuter.
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