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A REFUTATION OF JAPANESE STATEMENTS MADE IN CONNECTION WITH
THE CANTON BOMBINGS.
As one who is on the spot here in Canton and has personally seen some of the horrors perpetrated by the Japanese during the past fortnight 1 have no hesitation in writing to deny all that the Japanese say in defence of their murderous and indiscriminate attacks on a practically defenceless civilian population living in a city which nothing but the commercial centre for
South China.
The statements issued by the Japanese Foreign Office in Tokyo, by the Japanese Admiralty Publicity Bureau and by other spokesmen, are not only outrageous lies, but infer that protests to foreign powers have only been sent in by the Chinese authorities to arouse sympathy for their cause. The Canton Committee for Justice to China was responsible on Monday, May 30th for sending off to different parts of the world cables of protest by foreigners many of whom had personally seen the ghastly results of indiscriminate bombing. In the majority of cases bombs have fallen not on military or government objectives or anywhere near them, but on crowded civilian areas. This can be vouched for by many foreigners who like myself have gone out to render what help we could in bombed civilian areas. We have seen the mangled remains of scores of civilians men, women and children and many wounded from the effect of bomb explosions, and for the Japanese to say as they have that casualties were caused by Chinese anti-aircraft fire is a monstrous lie.
The apologists for murder state that their pilots scrupulously avoid passing over Shameen which is a British and French Concession. I have on occasions been in Shameen during raids and seen distinctly Japanese planes cross the whole length of the island.
This is done by them in order the more easily to deal death and destruction to the adjacent crowded city. The Japanese Consul General in Hong Kong
an
stated in reply to the protest made by the British Consul General in Canton that it was most difficult for the Japanese planes when flying at a height of 10,000 feet to discern such a small object as Shameen- island some 15 acres in area. If that is so then it would be equally impossible for these same planes to aim accurately at what they call military objectives within the city and which are much smaller in area than Shameen. The Japanese Consul General's own words confound him.
The Japanese have also stated that in numerous cases the Chinese authorities have set up military and government establishments in close proximity to foreign property throughout the city of Canton. This again is an absolute lie as practically all the foreign property owned in Canton is either in Shameen or Pak Hok Tung and Lingnan which are both on the outskirts of the city. Within the city apart from three hospitals and the large compound surrounding the Roman Catholic. Cathedral there is practically no foreign property at all.
One could write much more in refutation of the excuses made by Japanese official spokesmen, but I think it should be clear to the world at large by now that the Japanese militarists are indulging in an orgy of frightfulness in order to terrorise the population into submission.
In conclusion I would urge that it is high time that the Governments of Great Britain, France and the United States of America should take strong action to restrain Japan in her campaign of murder by refusing to allow her any supplies of oil and other such essential materials which are enabling her to carry on this unjust war in which so many thousands of innocent civilians are suffering.
STUDENTS & THE WAR.
It is well known that students have always played a prominent part in the social life of China. Though the modern Chinese student has little in common with the scholar of his grandfather's day, he inherits some- thing of his responsibility in social and political affairs. This responsibility is that of bringing culture and education to the masses, of whom so many are still illiterate. In the last twenty years China has faced this question of mass education, and brought forth the Renaissance of culture in the process. The building of a new and simplified national language (Kuo Yue) and the whole movement of absorbing the best traditions of the West, are tremendous achievements which have sprung from the Chinese Universities. It is this growth of an independent modern Chinese culture which the Japanese want to crush.
This jealousy of Chinese education is not because China has scorned the achievements of Japan. On the contrary the Chinese have always respected the rapid
N. V. HALWARD.
modernisation of Japan, and a great many Chinese students have been there to study. It should also be remembered that the Japanese owe a great deal of what is ancient in their culture to China. In return for that, every effort is being made to weaken the educated classes in this country. The tragedy is that the people who are doing this do not in any way represent the real culture of Japan. The attack on cultural institutions in China is unfortunately characteristic of the modern war-makers who have repudicted of the modern historic culture of East and West in the interest of brute force.
The Japanese militarists have never forgiven the students of China for their action of May 4th 1919 when in Peiping they forced the Chinese Government to oppose the Japanese encroachments in Shantung made at the time of the Versailles Treaty. From that time students became an important political factor, though it must be admitted that in many cases they
used their position unwisely. The point is however that after the 1932 war in Shanghai students through- out China were remarkably passive. There was between 1932 and 1935 a genuine attempt to curb the anti-Japanese emphasis, and to concentrate their minds on internal reconstruction.
to
create
But in 1935 the Japanese again began their "forward" policy in North China; and after nearly four years of patience the students in Peiping again demonstrated against their attempt "autonomous" governments by hiring certain Chinese ruffians to pose as "Provisional" leaders. The student and indeed the whole nation began to realise that the Japanese methods in North China were a menace not only to China's policial stability but to the existence of any civilised and educated people.
As soon as the war began it was obvious that the Japanese were determind to paralyse China's university life. The wanton shelling of Nankai University, the bombing of Central University Nanking, the destruction of Universities in Shanghai are already well known. More recently Hunan University, Changsha has been bombed, and Amoy University destroyed when that port was taken. Both these institutions lie well away from the towns to which they are neighbours.
Till now the students of Canton have been fairly fortunate. The National Sun Yet Sen University has a fine new campus about four miles from the city During the earlier raids a great many bombs were aimed at this, but luckily none of the beautiful modern Chinese style buildings were damaged. It was however obviously a target for the Japanese and most of the classes moved into the University's old buildings which are in the centre of Canton. On May 4th during an air raid a bomb aimed at the old University fell into a neighbouring street killing several people. On June 5th and 6th in the recent appalling air-raids three bombs hit the University.
During these days the Sun Yat Sen University students have been trying to take their examinations, which have been held early in the morning and late at night to avoid the raiders. In the day time some of them have been doing rescue work with the Red Cross workers. Some institutions like the Union Theological College have organized their own First Aid troops.
Canton Of the other four Universities in Sheung Kan University has moved into the country. Kuo Min University and Canton University lie in the city and although bombs have fallen near each of them they have until now been able to carry on with their work. Lingnan University lies across the river and outside Canton. Three bombs fell into its campus, which killed and wounded 3 agricultural workers. The Union Theological College at Pak Hok Tung is at present immune.
It is obvious however that the general strain of studying during the last year has been very trying, and the colleges must be congratulated on having got through their programmes. During the last term Lingnan University has been offering special courses related to
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the war crisis, in the Departments of Science, Govern- ment, History, Religion etc. The Arts students also did as part of their course a two weeks' tour of the local villages on Honan Island. They gave talks on political education practical first aid, air-raid precautions, and presented patriotic plays and taught games to the children as a contribution to the social life of the villages. It has had a good effect in helping to break down the barriers between a rich university and the countryside, and is a local example of what is happening everywhere in China-the uniting of all classes, students, soldiers workers in the common
cause.
The students of Canton also demonstrated their solidarity with students of other countries when they recently welcomed two delegates from the World's Student Association, Mr. Bernard Floud from Oxford and Mr. James Klugman from Paris. They were on a tour in China with a view to speaking for China's cause on their return. They visited the Universities in Canton, and were given an extremely warm reception. More recently in these raids the students have sent a joint letters to Student bodies in Britain, U.S.A. Canada and other countries describing the bombing, stating that students are carrying on as best they can, and asking for support from foreign countries. All who read this bulletin may be assured of the desire of Chinese students to express their solidarity with the peace loving peoples of the world. Students have already suffered heavily in this war. Many of them are refugees, unable to continue their studies; readers of this bulletin are probably familiar with the needs for their relief. If not they may like to know that gifts of money to the Student YMCA, 347 Madison Ave, N.Y.
or International Student Service 14 Rue Calvin, Geneva. or to British Student Christian Movement Annandale
North End Rd, London N.W. 11.
or direct to YMCA at Shanghai 131 Museum Street or YMCA Changsha -will be well used.
But more important, we are appealing that worse evils may not befall Chinese students through the Japanese invasion of China. Some students are fight- ing with the army. A great number are engaged in some kind of national service and all are determined to uphold the right of students everywhere to study in peace and freedom from the repression of the war- makers. The Japanese militarists are attacking cultural institutions partly because they are centres of Chinese sentiment, but also because the military mind in control of Japan is afraid of culture. The senseless attacks on the Sun Yat Sen Momorial Hall have been the latest expression of this vandalism. It is a hall of con- siderable beauty and embodies the spirit of Canton as pioneer city in the Republic. But it is of no great practical value. It stands well apart from any other buildings. Several bombs have been aimed at it, and it has been fairly seriously damaged. If we Westerners respect the beauty and cultural achievements of China and also want to preserve our own we must make sure that the tide of Japanese aggression checked by in- ternational action.
J. G. B.
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