1937-12-01 — Page 8

THE CHINA MAIL

THE JAPANESE

JAPANESE CASE AND

Sir, So much has appeared in the Press of late in connection with the Sino-Japanese hostilities that it is possible the reasons underlying the conflict have become obscured

May I therefore, ask that you be

blame is not yours..

:

AN ANSWER

Concerning the reported attacks upon "The bombas

the

would

and races.”

kind enough to publish in your es-schools and hospitals, these institu- that your Government is anti-JST

the legal

of new the teemed paper the facts set out here- tions of learning and humanity were Rise and overthrow the Government. If

code has not been passed but under, which may, perhaps, help your desecrated by Chinese troops who had you do not, the bombings will be

international law is a law of himman- readers to realise that, much as we occupied and fortified the buildings as ried out day after day. deplore the conflict, we hold that the shields for attack, or as refuges for The bombing of schools, of University and morality expressive of the feel-

defence. In this manner, to cite a nekolike Nankai University

ne ne distinguished few out of many examples, were the vate hospitals like the American Mis-fro the feelings of animal to man or Why are Japan and China fighting Patriotic Girls School and the Sung- sion at Nantungchow come within the man to animal. But the fact that the each other and who began the fight teh Girls School of Shanghai, and the category of "private property not of

osed coge was formulated and made ing?

The view of the Japanese is Nankai University of Tientsin, cona military character

to the world gives it the force that she is fighting in order to proverted into military establishments. It will be remembered that in des- lof International ethics in case of war tect her legitimate rights in China, As regards hospitals, it is the troying Nankai University the Jain which the weapon of aerial bombard and further to eradicate the evil ele Chinese and not the Japanese who panese authorities stated that "Nankai ment is made use of. ments which have been, and still are, have been making attacks on them was a hotbed of anti-Japanese feeling The bombing of Nantao, Sungkiang, trying to destroy friendly relations be This is clearly substantiated by the and therefore must be destroyed. The Nanking, Canton, Soochow Nanchang, tween Japan and China. The view of example of the Japanese hospital ship, destruction was carried out by bombing Hankow, Isman, Taiyuan all of which the Chinese is that she wants to drive Asahi Mara, which was made the from the air, and then finished off are large populated areas where con- out the Japanese from China and, if direct target of Chinese bombardments by kerosene and fire.

gestion in such as to itself preclude possible to secure the return of Man

The rights and interests of nation The second relevant Article of the the assembly of large bodies of armed choukno. And again, as to who beals of third Powers are not being wil-proposed code of the Hague the breach men within any particular area of gan the fighting Japan says that fully damaged and actually sacrificed of which has raised world wide pro- that congested space, have been right- China did. The Chinese troops in in the conflict so far as the Japanese test from all countries and for which ly judged by world opinion to be gross be- Wanping, near Peiping, were deeply are concerned, as the Japanese com- the most intense feeling of hatred for violations of human right even hostile to the Japanese garrison forces anders have issued statements that the Japanese is spreading throughout tween warring nations. The inhuman- carrying on manoeuvres around Pel the rights and interests at the ma-China is paragraph 2 of Article 24. ity of the conduct of the Japanese be- ping. They frequently interfered tionals of third Powers would be fully "This reads as follows:--

comes all the more heinous when one with Japanese troops. On the night of protected, and have ordered their "The bombardment of cities, towns.remembers that they have not deciar. July 7th this year, some of them went forces to exert every possible care in villages, dwellings, or buildings net ined war upon China. to the length of firing at a section of this regard. It is inevitable, however, the immediate neighbourhood of the On this point one noted Chinese -Japanese soldiers on field exercise.

that when such property is occupied operation of land forces is prohibited. pointed out "Professor Shinobu Then the trouble started, in spite of by, or otherwise used, to the advantage In cases where the objectives speci-might even

his country by repeated efforts on the part of Japan of Chinese troops, it becomes subjected fied in Paragraph 2 (military es stating that the proposed rules of con- at settling the matter locally.

tablishments, arsenals, transport lines, duct laid down by the Hague, would etc.) are so situated-THAT THEY only apply IF WAR WERE DECLAR- The stoppage of coastal traffic en- CANNOT BE BOMBARDED WITH ED - but we still have had no de”. forced by the Japanese Navy will not QUI KINDISCRIMINATE BOM claration of war? hamper the rightful navigation of the BARDMENT OF THE CIVILIAN Just as the activities of Japan's Fressels of third powers, as vessels en POPULATION, the aircraft must ab- troops and air force compelled the

gaged in peaceful trading are totally stain from bombardment.”

Powers to frame rules intended exempted from the restrictions and are LETTERS TO

International legal circles point to govern aerial bombing, so the "fright- free to approach the Chinese ports.

this article as the crux of the entire fulness of the Japanese war, lords Japan is DOW determined to fight THE EDITOR the conflict to the finish.

question. According to one famous upon the defenceless non-combatant Peace will

authority, "It is a statement of a rula Chinese population will force World Freturn only when China brings herself which is based upon the highest com- Opinion to take concrete measures for to realise the error of her ways par mon sense if on nothing else. Unless preventing desperate aggressive na- ticularly of her belief that Japan can limitations are placed upon the exertions from carrying out ruthless de- Japan to station troops in the Then be driven out of the Asiatic continentcise of the aeroplane loaded with bombs, struction of civil populations by indis- tsin-Peiping area is clearly recognised by force. in treaties and enjoyed in

One might well ask, has Japan any right to station troops and carry out manoeuvres in China, but the right of

to direct attack.

to

every place within that country is criminate serial bombardment. And connected within fine it were better for "A Japanese" COMMON Japan wants the complete abandon- directly or indirectly with America, Britain, France and ment by the Chinese of the notion that the waging of a war. And every per-not to refer to "International Law” in Italy. China herself recognised these Japan is their enemy, and the sover-son within that country is directly or writing to the Press of a civilised rights, and the necessity to exercise ance of all ties between China and the indirectly connected with waging the country. the right was recognised by all these communists, either native or foreign, War Small they all be subject to de- Powers who still maintain their forces who are working towards the under- there. The reason being that China mining of the traditions and culture

"A JAPANESE.”

is not a safe country to leave their of Oriental civilisation. countrymen in unprotected by armed forces on the spot. One has only to recall the many cases of bandits and pirates looting foreign property, kid- napping and murdering innocent people.

A Chinese Lawyer

Answers

THE

A CHINESE LAWYER,

WORLD GOES BY By "ULYSSES"

The attempts to settle the inciderit! locally, at its early stage, failed be

Sir,-A Japanese in stating the Ja cause the Chinese never meant t03 settle. Their leaders were awaiting a

panese point of view refers to "Inter- chance to fight with Japan, and the national Law to justify the ruthless

has now been confirmed that Memoirs written by a banker are rank and file entertained uncontrollable bombing of Nanking, Canton and hun-

dreds of other towns and villages the noise which was not heard described by a critic as exaggerat- antagoniem, the fruit of years of anti- Japanese education and propaganda..

throughout China, and the inhuman at 10 o'clock yesterday morning, ed. Overdrawn, as it were. The Chinese Government, mobilised slaughter of innocent non-combatants was, in fact, the much advertised forces numbering 500,000 in the North by Japanese vultures.

Jair raid warning and not, as might and massed 200,000 troops in the Professor Shinobu, a reputed lead have been thought, the Two Shanghai area. Japanese troops were ing Japanese Jurist on International Minute despatched to cope with this situation, Law was appointed the legal adviser and safeguard the lives and property of the Third Japanese squadron, whose of Japanese nationals, which were in air force was responsible for the intro- actual danger of being wiped out. The auction of indiscriminate bombing" of action of Japan, therefore, is not ag-non-combatant civilians as a means of gressive, but defensive.

terrorising the Chinese people into

We wish the

redhead who sits

An Eskimo woman is old at forty, states an

- A Hong Kong woman of tha

of course, is only about twe

Japan may be justified in principle submission and presumably it is he next to us on the Ferry every in fighting Chinese troops, but what who is the father of the perverted idea morning would not show such a This is a time of triumph for the about the reports of non-combatants that "according to International Law, tantalising expanse of silk stock-Pessimist, who always has been being attacked from the air, would be a garrison town is subject to any forming. Even at this early hour of expecting the worst. He's got it the next point raised by one and all of bombardment”.

the morning it is conducive to at last.

In reply to this, according to Interna-

tional Law, a garrisoned town is sub-1 The brutal and inhuman use of the dangerous thoughts. ject to any form of bombardment. Japanese airforce in the fighting in Nanking and Canton are heavily Shanghai in 1932 inspired the Hague garrisoned, and fortified In its sur-Court to draft a Code relating to the rounding district each forms the ac-use of the aeroplane in warfare. The tual centre of military operations for articles relating to aerial bombard the Chinese troops.

ment are articles 22 and paragraph 2] Japanese aviation authorities have of article 24 The code is known consistently issued warnings of im-the Hague Code of 1933 - pending attacks on military positions, The relevant articles are:

civilians may avoid injury

garrison headquar- † “Aerial bombardment for the

arsenals, railway pose of

movement of Chinese troops, and artillery and anti- aircraft locations

tation

#

aber

Daring recent landstide Southern Europe a golf course dis- This: brings

the total- ussing links up to two.

see that General -

dorff appear erwent an anffanimation of the stion of the seems to be that

ising the civilian

kry character ori combatantz İS

pointed out tha

One

leased

Japanese planes have also made point of flying at low altitudes to en-panese have openly stated that sure accuracy in-dropping combs, alobject • to terrorise the peop though thereby they have greatly jeo China in order to make them pardi their own safety, inasmuch against the Chinese Government as both Nanking and Canton are cause the war to be stopped. The

defended by powerful subi

craft batteries. Japanese war planes have never wilfully attacked non-con betarta

tents of the leaflets dropped tão and on Footing confirmed sinister idea of the Japanese. leaflets it will be remembered stated

with his

note that th bomb-racks

One wonders whether the phrase "Divine Law of Compensation coined

an ancient Insurance

An American women'

llege into” haye ballot decided that the finest quali the stories of war ties in a man are

stancy, loyal Their place, how, ty, truthfulness, intelligence, hu- to have been taken by meur a ting, which is never anyat least

“desperate” entire

ond take

to obtain the