CO129-579-9 Sino-Japanese War- release of interned Chinese soldiers 27-1-1939 - 7-12-1939 — Page 62

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At various times during the Sino-Japanese hostilities,

Chinese soldiers have, usually inadvertently, entered territory

under the domain of the Hong-Kong Government. The government

has seen fit to treat these soldiers as prisoners of war and

have interned them as the cutting indicates. I understand,

(you will know definitely), that since there has been no

actual declaration of war, this internment

this internment is not legal.

These soldiers, it is obvious, wish to return to the

front in order to aid their country and recently there has

been a great deal of unrest in the camp. One soldier actually

escaped and, as the cutting states, another was "shot while

attempting to escape", (this convenient term is, as you know,

largely used in Nazi Germany!).

In the fighting which took place a few weeks ago on

the border between the Hong-Kong new territories and Chinese

territory, Japanese soldiers trespassed, and actually placed

their flag on territory under the Hong-Kong Government. They

were not, however, arrested, only a protest being made to them,

after which they withdrew.

The figures given in the cutting, apart from those of

the soldiers, refer to the ordinary refugees, (i.e. mainly

women and children), and the fact that some provision is being

made for them is, I think, commendable. It does not, however,