CO129-570-3 Sino-Japanese War- proposed refugee camp in demilitarised area of South China 1-6-1938 - 11-1-1939 — Page 90

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2.

informed me about June 8th that he had broken up refugee camps

at Canton and sent occupants to Pak Lo near Waichow in Eastern Kwangtung, that most women and children had been then evacuated

to their villages, and that camp in or near city was not practi-

cable.

5. During week-end problem has b n discussed with me here by Bishop of Hongkong and others. My impression is that Chinese

authorities will do little to help except "ad hoc". They genuine ly

do not believe in safe zones but prefer scattering to friends and

relations. Either genuinely or professedly they believe that for us to encourage establishment of refugee camps would be tantamount

to admission that we do not object to invasion of Canton in spite

of proximity of Hongkong. Throughout Provincial Chairman has

thought that this belief has been principal deterrent to Japanese.

No doubt also Chinese authorities prefer to throw problem on to

Hongkong by a policy of doing nothing to help themselves, except

that it is evident from numbers contained in Hongkong telegram

No. 167 to Secretary of State of June 11th compared with a total

estimated evacuation this month of 500,000 persons, that Provincial

Chairman is keeping his promise of diverting main flow of refugees

away from Hongkong.

6. I understand that in the event of an actual invasion

Chinese authorities would gladly consent to creation of safety

zones inside city on the ground that admittedly no part of city

would then be safe even in theory and therefore they should do

their best for the citizens. I understand that Roman Catholic

Bishop at Canton would be willing to create and administer such a zone near his Cathedral and that American and British missionaries would do likewise at Pak Hok Tung and on Honam Island near Lingnam University, if Chinese consented.

7. For all such schemes initiative should be left to private enterprises. I would of course assist as directed by Your Excellency or as desired by initiators, always within my instruc- tions.

Repeated to Governor, Hongkong, Savingram No.5, Tokyo Saving- ram No. 1.

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