1937-10-31 — Page 1

EXTRAORDINARY

Page

MASON'S DELICIOUS

O.K

Hongkong Daily Press.

SAUCE.

Registered as a Newspaper at the General

Post Office in the United Kingdom.

ESTABLISHED. 1857

LAZARUS

-announce a rela

OPTICIANS Bargain sale of

FIRST HAND OLD STOCK BINOCULARS

In first class condition from

$40.00 to 95.00

Also various European makes of OPERA GLASSES

from $4.00 to 15.00

日刷七月年丁

Editorial and Business Office: 15-19, Queen's Road

Cetral, Tel. 30251.

Night Editor (Wanchai Office): Tel. 24511.

London Office: 53, Fleet Street E.C,4.

The Daily Press.

友之國中

HONG KONG, OCTOBER 31, 1937.

TIME TO USE THE BIG STICK

It was that "essentially practical than of affairs, Theodore Rousavak, tenger President of the United States of America, who once papressed the opinion that whilst it was all very well to employ i words it was judicious to "eatry a big stick." According to his particularly viguous policy there were ties when it was prudent to use that big stick. Anyway, the aer act of carrying it bad a very salummy effect upon recalcitrant mam- hers of the family of nations...

Ma

It when one contemplates the great figures of history that one wonders if the world has become mitre decadent in delicate."

To

It's not the time to mince words or to confuse a clear issta

phraseology, by resorting to the circumlocutions of diplomatic and, therefore, it is right and proper to express "ou considered opinion that Japan has demonstrated by her acts that she has deliberately plaimed to provoke Britain to such an extent as to unke hostilities. bet ween, our agtion and Japan. inevitable, recapitulate the mugs met of seating petulance and nisileda fisted insolence which have been comunitted by Japan against Britishers would, we feel, be entirely superfluous in view of the world-wide publicity which a vigilant Press has rightly accorded them, but it seems to us that after Britain magnanimously. accepted Japan's explanation" for the attempted murder of her Ambassador, acts calculated to precipitate a crisis between Britain and Japan have followed in quick successión..

Wher is all this going to end? More to the point is it to inquire, When are these nets of wanton aggression going to stop ?

We can only hope that we will not be misunderstood for what we are about to say, but say it we shall for we feel it to be the thith. The present "eniguntical policy of Britain in regard to the Sino-Japanese situation is certainly "not adding to Britain's prestige in the Far East. Nobody who is a reasoning being in possession of his normai mental faculties desires war.. That cannot be denied. But surely there are occasions when actions are more eloquent than words, and in regard to Britain's relations with Japan that occasion is now or never.

Of the valour, efficiency and loyalty of His Britannic Majesty's Forces in the Far East there is absolutely no question. 1heir individual and collective restraint under most exasperating circumstances constitutes a magnificent example of that sound Gome discipline which makes for greatness of achievement. those significant words from the ranks of the Ulsters in Shanghai, We have lost our brothers." Subsequently comes the request from British diplomatic sources to the Japanese "to be careful " Such politeness, such mealy-mouthed courtesy is re-. volting. To the man in the street who is the real raier of the nation, it must seein suspiciously like impotence.

more

There is no cause for panic or hysteria. Britain can always be relied upon to turn up trümps--eventually, Those who are slow to anger are cyclonic in their fury. That is the" British characteristic. There is, we assert, no cause for fear of alarm. il. However, it were well for the prestige of Britain if her present Government's placid policy were slightly altered to meet the oxigencies of the crisis in the Far East.

Britain has the big stick, and she has the strength and ferve to use it. Remember that sound old saying, "Spare the rod and spoil the child." Japan is behaving like a spoil child. What she needs is a good sound spanking, and the sooner she gets it the better. It will save the effusion of more innocent blood.

HONG KONG, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1937.

Supreme Court

日拜禮 登拾叁月拾年世玖仟登英

Price, 10 Cts.

"DOOMED BATTALION" LOCAL CHINESE LADIES

DO THEIR BIT

THREE HUNDRED MEN REACH SAFETY War Work Behind The Lines

Relentless Japanese Barbarity

SHANGHAI, OCT. 31.

PREPARATIONS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED FOR THE EVACUATION OF THE "DOOMED BAT- TALION" UPON WHOM PRESSURE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO BEAR, A SERIOUS SITUATION, HOW. EVER, IS THREATENED BECAUSE THE JAPANESE HAVE POSITIONED TWO MACHINE-GUNS COM- MANDING THE ROAD THROUGH WHICH THE CHINESE MUST PASS AND THEY ARE ALSO PLAYING SEARCHLIGHTS ON THE ROAD.

"

Shanghai, October 31 (8.40 .m.); Running the gauntlet of bullers from the two Japanese machine guns commanding the road over which they had to pass and on which the Japanese search-. lights were playing, members of the Doomed Battalion" in Chapet are now pouring in batches of 30 into the International Settlement. Up to the present three hundred of them have reached safety. A number of wounded were aided by British troops and then handed over to the Settlement police- Reuter,

The selge which thrilled the world for four days came to a dramatic end in the early hours of this morning when the "Doom- ed Battalion", in obedience to the orders of Generalissima Chiang. Kai-shek evacuated their strong- hold under a hail of bullets from Japanese machine guns.

In order to reach the Settlement safely the men had to cross the 20-yard wide Thibet Road separat- ing "Alcazar" from the Bank of China warehouse which is used by a British post.

The entire battalion, except an undetermined number who were killed, safely negotiated the pass- age of fire for two hours.

LAST TO LEAVE

The last man to leave "Alcazar" was the regimental commander Hsieh Chin-yuan who was crying Sorrowfully when he told Reuter that "we have lost face. We

41

would never have left but we had orders. to do so and could not disobey them.".

An hour before the evacuation was due to start the Japanese trained, two machine guns on the road which they lit up with search lights and the entire eva- czation the withering stream of "meláte-gun fire into the stronghold and along the road.

The men ran the gauntlet.of fire in batches of thirty. As they stumbled to the British post, they "smilingly shook hands with the British soldiers who warnủy con- gratulated them on their courage. The Chinese handed over their rifies and equipment to the British tommies and to the admiration of all the "Doomed Bathlon" brought all-their weapons alone with them-about 400 rifles, two Light machine-guns, 37 heavy ma- chine-guns, many cases of BM-

:

Busy as a bechive-such was the hmpression formed by a "Daily Press" representative as soon as he entered the rooms of the Hong Kong Chinese Women's-Soldiers' Relief Association in China Build- Ing yesterday. Here, there and wherever space could be found among" the slacks of finished articles, all carefully packed and labelled in readiness for shipment, groups of ladies and young girls were actively occupied at their various voluntary duties,

The time was said to be a slack period, and it was gathered that as many as a hundred and arty or mare turned up regularly in the afternoon. and staying very often til well after dark, to make the things urgently required for the care of soldiers and refugees in China's war-stricken areas:

Started in August last by a group of well-known local Chinese ladies, the Association, has a membership today of close to 2000. An idea of the work which it has already BC- munition, baskets of clothes, bed-complished may be obtained from the present ding and other possessions, but the the fact that up to best of all was that they carried twelve large shipments have been 20 wounded comrades along the dispatched to Nanking, and passage of fire.

All the wounded men were given first aid treatment by the British troops after which they were re- moved by ambulances to the British Military Hospital. Those that were not wounded were taken before dawn to the Race Course where they will be placed in a con- centration camp for the duration of the war

A

··

trench mortar shell fell amongst a group of British soldiers were putting the Chinese soldiers into lorries but provident fally it did not explode.

who

Two shells struck the damaged Gas Company's building adjoining the gasometer but there were no casualties

Keuter

Unequivocal Reply To Japan's “Feeler”

China Stands Firm To Generalissimo's Policy

{SPECIAL TO "THE DAİLY "PRESS" }

Nanking, October 31.

Replying to the official Japanese statement to the effect that Japan was ready to enter into peace negotiations following the capture of Shanghai, a spokesman at the Chinese Foreign Office reiterated Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek's stated policy, namely, that hostilities with Japan was not a local question but a vital istuc concerning the whole of China, and that as long as the Japanese were in occupation of even a foot of Chinese territory, China would continue to fight.---Transocean,

WANTON JAPANESE DESTRUCTION

STOP PRESS

-

Paris, Oct. 31.. The Spanish Ministry for De- fence in a communique states that the British steamer, Jean Weems, was sunk by an insurgent plane sixteen miles from the shore, Twenty-six survivors have reached Calella, near Gerona in life boats. The Jean Weems carried two Control officers and according to the captain of the vessel was laden with wheat and condensed milk "The crew, all British," rere not Injured. Reuter.

ADVANCE HELD

IN CHECK

CHINESE HEAT BACK JAPANESE IN SHANTUNG

Pelping, Oct. 31.

other enormous batch of articles is awaiting transportation. Amongst the articles that have been sent were padded suits, pyjamas, blan- kets, sheets, pillows, gauze, band- ages, hospital supplies and emer- gency first-aid outfits.

(Continued on Page 3)

SOVIET PROTEST

LODGED

Border Clash Explained

Moscow, Oct. 31. The Soviet version of the border clash between Soviet and Manchu- kuo troops on Thursday is given. by the Tass-Agency, which states that it is reported that a Khaba rovsk detachment of the Map- chutuo troops crossed the Rus sian Border in the Posyet district and Aced on the Soviet Border Patrol who returned fire and forced Manchukuo to retreat across the border.

It is understood that the Com- missariat for Foreign Affairs has instructed the Soviet Embassy at Tokyo and the Soviet Consul-Gen- erai at Harbin to protest to the and · Manchukuo - Gov- ernments, demanding that mea- sures be taken to prevent any further violations on the Border- Reuter,

Japanese

latter place being only 70 kilo- meires from Taiyuanfu.

Taiyuanfu was ralded twice

The Japanese advance on Shan- tung has not only come to a standstill but the Chinese made counter-attacks there yesterday. from the air yesterday in the

The advance on Bhenst has also been checked considerably.

.

course of the "dog fights" that followed. One Japanese plane was

On the Shensl front two Japan-shot down. ese columns which had entered the province from the east via Niang- tse Fass are advancing on the provincial capital of Taiyuantu and have occupied, the towns of Minting and Yangchuan, the

The advance on Shansi, how- ever, is delayed by the strong re- sistance put up by the Chinese, and the former Eighth Red Army is a constant source of danger to the Japanese,~-Transocean.

CHOKED!

(More than he can swallow.)

PUTATE

CANADIAN LOAN

Ottawa, Oct. 30.

A national loan of $100,000,000 has been floated "to" refund the last free of tax bonds lasued dur- ing the Great War.

The new loan will be of three classes-1-year bonds redeemable In July 1930 bearizig 1 per cent. interest, maven-year bonds at 21 per cent, and 14-year bonds at 31 per cent-

Reuter's Bulletin Service

CHIANG WEI-GO

Wine Shooting Prize

Berlin, Oct. 31. Chiang Wel-go, son of Genera→ lissimo Chiang Kai-shek, won the rifle shooting competition for Chi- nese students at Zehlendorf, near Berlin. yesterday morning with a score of 198 points. The second man scored 177.-

Reuter.

This train, on the Canton-Kowloon run, carried, no iroda or war materials, yet it came in for attention from the Japanese Air Force. The picture: bears mute testimony of how, thoroughly and deliberately the Japanese attack non-combatants, (Ming nen Studio).

Japanese Militarist,

"Chinese have a saying—“Easy as catching a frog in fleld."

"We may the conquest of China is easler than taking potato from the field."

Chinese Farmer----

"But the potato can choke you!”