1939-12-19 — Page 1

"Hongkong Daily Press-Dec. 19, 1939.

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No. 25367

並柒拾险的叁仟伍萬弍第”

HONGKONG, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1939..

FRENCH PRESS CELEBRATE

DISAPPEARANCE OF GRAF

J:

ANOTHER R.A.F. RAID OVER HELIGOLAND

LONDON, Dec. 18 Reuter) -B. A, F. planes paid another visit to Helgoland Bight yes- terday and bombed the Ger- man seaplane base at Borkum.

RUSSIANS ADVANCE

48 MILES

"OSLO, Dec. 18 (Reuter) Heavy fighting has been resumed on the Finnish northern front, according to messages from Svanvik, where the Finns appear to be retiring Pitakajaervi towards everything behind them.

burning

A Moscow communique declares that Russian troops have advanced

48 mlies in the region of south. Petsamo.

In central Finland, troops have advanced about 32 miles from the frontier and have captured the village of Kursu.

In the other sectors there is only No scouting and artillery action. mention is made of the fighting on the Karelian Isthmus.

"

11 Neutral Ships Lost In 6 Days

LONDON. Dec. 18 (BWS)-Be- tween December 10 and 16 seven British merchant ships and eleven! neutral have been lost.

The British are- Corea, 751 "tons. Saint Alberta, 7.397 tons, Willow Pool, 4815, King Egbert, 4,535. Marwick Head, 491, Deptford, 4101. and Stanbrook, which is overdue! and believed lost; 1.383.

SPEE FROM SEAS

Italian Naval Men Say Scuttling "Incredible"

MIN

THE MERCHANT NAVY BADGE, which the Minister of Shipping EVERY NEWSPAPER PARIS, DEC. 18 (REUTER)

announced in the House of Com- KEPRODUCES PHOTOGRAPHS OF REA'R-ADMIRAL SIR mons would be distributed to offl

and men of the Merchant HENRY HARWOOD, THE BRITISH CRUISERS AND THE cers FRENCH BATTLESHIP DUNKERQUE AND THE ENTIRE Service and the Deep Sea Fishing

SPEE'S DISAPPEAR- PRESS CELEBRATES THE GRAF ANCE FROM THE SEAS.

In an article stressing the solidarity of the British Dominions, the Excelsior notes that the crew of the Achilles was composed entirely of New Zealanders and "they were determined that their first blow should be a master stroke. "They identify themselves with the thousands of men of the British Navy to whose traditions and spirit they have adapted themselves. "

"The solidarity of the British Colonies and Dominions draws close around the ships of the Allies."

Fleets next year.

GERMAN

CRUISER SUNK

15-19 Marina House, Queen's Road Central.

G.P.O. Box No, 1

日玖拾月拾华政拾叁佰玖千壹英

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CHINESE SMASH INTO KAIFENG:

DESPERATE BATTLE IN PROGRESS

INSIDE THE CITY

ויי

Continued Lull

Lull On The

Kwangsi Front

LOYANG, Dec. 18 (Central)-For the sixth time since the fall of the city into Japanese hands eighteen months ago, Chinese forces smashed into Kaifeng, former provin- clal capital of Honan, last Saturday night."

According to an urgent telephonic message from Chengchow, Chinese forces were engaging Japanese units inside Kaifeng in bitter street fighting up to late last evening.

...

More than twenty Japanese across the river at Tingtsehu magazine depots and store Many small villages near Nanning houses inside the city were were set to are by the Japanese. set to torch by Chinese plain- ANHWEI OFFENSIVE clothes men, the deafening KWEILIN, Dec. 18 (Central)——| explosion being heard for Chinese forces taking the offensive

around.

HEAVY CASUALTIES

The on the south bank of the Yangtze

GENERAL RETREAT

PREDICTED

FANCHENG, Dec. 18 (Cen- trały-Military observers pre- dict an early Japanese général retreat in north Hupeh follow- ing vigorous Chinese attacks on Saturday which resulted in the complete disruption of the invaders' communication Knies.

More than 10,000 Japanese troops are now isolated at Sul- hsien, Yingshan, Ania and other points, it is stated.

JAPANESE ANTI-WAR LEAGUE

many miles Japanese garrison forces were River, in Anhwel, are making rapid "KWEILIN, Dec. 18 (Central)— The Southwest branch of the fighting desperately against progress.

Anti-War League in increasing Chinese units According to reports reaching Japanese

will here, they have surrounded Ying-China

be established in amidst roaring fire.

chiawei and Chlenkiangchow south-Kwangs this month. west of Kweichih, while to the A reception to cultural leaders "Incredible" was the ex-

LONDON, Dec. 18. (Reuter) -| It is believed the Japanese west of Shunancher, northeast 01 here was given by the League's clamation of naval men, when The Admiralty announced today casualties were far heavier than on Kweichth, they have recaptured a preparatory committees yesterday. Mr. Wataru Kajl, well-known Jap- A Chinese column is relentlessly anése leftist writer, presided and pushing towards Tatung, elght reported that there are similar be on Thursday last. The crui- The Chinese started their opera-miles above Tungling.

leagues in Japan and that the ser was screened by six destroyers tions on the night of December 16.

China League is, for the time Reuter learng on good authority Under d'm moonlight, they storm-

being, engaging mainly in propa- garida work: that this action has no connexioned and captured the southern (Central)--Tunghsu, south of Kal- with the reported attack on a gate and the western gate and in German cruiser by the submarine two columns smashed into the teng. in east Honan, has been re- Army formed by the League" has"

they heard of the scuttling of that the submarine H.M.S. Ursula the five previous occasions when number of important points, Sinking Was

Only

Course

HITLER'S LENGTHY

ARGUMENT AMSTERDAM, Dec 18 (Reuteri -Herr Hitler's decision to sink the Graf Spee was only arrived at alter arguments, lasting several

naval hours, with

chiefs and technical experts, Reuter's special correspondent in Amsterdam learns from Berlin.

The 'possibility of making dash out of Monteviedo with a skeleton crew was discussed at great length but naval experts said that the vessel, on no ac- count, should fall into British hands. Much

the Graf Spee, reports Reuter from Rome.

The scuttling was taken as proof that the Graf Spee was more badly damaged than ad- mitted by Berlin.

Naval men here consider that it would have been a better move on the part of Berlin to submit to in- ternment than to condemn a fine ship and a fine crew to ignomini- ous suicide without a fight.

HITLER'S ORDER BERLIN. Dec. 18 (Reuter)-The official German News Agency states that Herr Hitler ordered the scuttling of the Graf Spee.

NONE INJURED

sank a German cruiser of the Chinese forced their brief entry Koeln class in the mouth of the into the enemy stronghold.

which sighted the Bremen.

that

TUNGHSU RECAPTURED . ESUCHANG, HONAN, Dec. 18

central districts of the city, Plain- captured by Chinese forces. The clothes men gave effective support throughout the operations of the

main forces,

41

A service corps of the Volunteer

Japanese were forced to abandon been organised in Kwangst unde the town as a result of a furious Mr. Kaj There is a Japanese Chinese attack. Tikochen nearby Kirl member, Miss Fuyuko Asano, has also been cleared of Japanese Friend has also been published.

A monthly magazine, the People's:

troops.

SHANSI FIGHTING

Mr. Kaji. It is learned, will shortly leave for Chungking. In LOYANG, Dec. 18 (Central) his absence, his work will be "car-

THREE SISTERSHIPS British Wireless reports three sisterships, Koeln, Karlsruhe

LULL CONTINUES and Konigsberg were completed in

KWEILIN, Dec. 18 (Central)---! 1929-30% They are ships of 6,000 tons with speeds of about 32 knots. The general full on the Kwangs!) armed with five 5.9-inch guns and front continued unbroken during a number of smaller guns. They the week end, where the Japanese Japanese forces at Xicheng, east ried on by Mr. Hidelo Sakamoto.

torpedo activides were conaned to erection of Kuwo, in South Shansi, have LONDON, Dec. 18 (BWS) So far mount twelve 21-inch

four triple of defence works with Nanning as launched another drive eastward i arranged in asts known here none of the tubes

along the Yucheng-Tsinshul high- catapult with a centre. cfficers or crew of the Graf Spee mountings and

WBY was injured, All but the skeleton two aircraft.

Vigorous fighting has been raging crew. It is stated, were transferred

at Wetsun, east of Yicheng, where the invaders have been held in

tance. Etter combats

in advance to the German steam- er Tacoma which followed the

The Japanese garrison inside

has Nanning

been reduced to with another about 1,000 "men,

AIRCRAFT REMOVED The aircraft were reported to

one other during 1938. All outskirts of the city. Press-gang-

as it went against the Graf Spee as she proceeded to her have been removed from the Koeln 2,000 scattered on the immediate check by staunch Chinese rests-

grain, Hitler finally was convinced that sinking was the only course.

SPECIAL

FUND

coom and picked up the remain-

and

Nazi. Raid On French Post

ider of the warship's crew as they possible expedients were adopted ng by the Japanese was intenst been in progress at points south increasing liveliness.

left at intervals,

CAPTAIN ARRESTED..

NEW YORK, Dec, 18 (Reuter)

A

WEN

PARIS, Dec. 18 (Reuter)-The have also Western Front is showing signs of

details of Saturday's of the Yicheng-Tsinshul #highway. Further for saving weight and electric Bed, most of the civilians rounded

French post welding was used for the hulls in- up being forced to do highway re-

supply transport At Klanghsien, southwest of German raid on pairing and stead of vetting.

Yicheng, the.. Japanese

have east of Moselle show that it The designed horsepower at 32 work.

important character and A considerable quantity of muni- brought in heavy reinforcements of an

Chinese well prepared. The New York Times says that the knots is 85.000 and the ships are Captain of the Tacoma has been driven by geared turbines with ticas inside Manning has been re- They have shelled, the

the various nearby arrested for taking out his ship Diesel engines for cruising pur-cently forwarded to Watsun, while positions on

Continued on Back Page Members of without permission. C. Flood (Norwegian) 1,097, Strind- a grateful nation.”-

Decorations will be showered on the crew of the Graf Spee aboard heim (Norwegian) 321. Germaine (Greek) 5,217. Ursus (Swedish) the Captain and crew of the Graf the Tacoma have been interned,"

Spee.

It is now probable that a special The neutrals are immingham (Dutch) 308, Garoufalla (Greek) Christmas Fund will be started 4,708, Toro (Swedish) 1,467, Algoi throughout Germany to raise con- (Belgian) tributions to build a new Graf von (Swedish) 978, Rosa 1,146, Ragni (Norwegian) 1,264, H Spee "as a present to Hitler from

1,499, Magnus (Danish) 1,339.

In the same period one German

ship Dusseldorf, 4,930, was capttir-

Continued On Page 7

ed and one Adolf Leonhardt, 2,900 RE-OPENING OF YANGTSE:

scuttled herself to avoid capture.

Figures now available show that In the first ten days of December the number of entrances and clearances at United Kingdom ports totalled,over 1,100 vessels of a total tonnage of over 3,000,000. Of those 1,100 vessels, 10 were lost.

AIR ALARM IN CHUNGKING

SPOKESMAN EXPLAINS

poses.

With 1,200 tons of IX. oli, plus! 300 tons of Diesel fuel, the ships are reputed to have a cruising radius of 5,500 miles at 14 knots and 10,000 at 10 knots.

NAVAL SUCCESS

LONDON, Dec., 18 (Reuter) — Further evidence of the success of Naval operations is contained in a War Office list issued today of U-boat

Many Problems Have Yet bout offers and men who are

To Be Solved

prisoners in this country. Today's list contains seven names and there has been a dally list for the past four days.

GERMAN SHIP SCUTTLED

LONDON. Dec. 18, (Reuter} -- German steamer Antiochla

four floating bridges were thrown

SPIRITED ATTACK A German company, which was probably reinforced by additional | Imachine-gunners, launched

spirited attack, finally forcing an

B

BURMESE MISSION PAYS entrance to the post and taking

GLOWING TRIBUTE TO

GEN. & MADAME CHIANG

two prisonera.

When the French reentered the post, they found the body of a German non-commissioned off- cer, two machine-guns and one taken, sub-machine-gun, This is

CHUNGKING, Dec. 18 (Central)-A glowing tribute in the absence of news to the con- trary, to mean that the Germans was paid to Generalissimo and Madame Chiang Kai-shek took their wounded with them. by the Burmese Goodwill Mission' during their call yester- The Germans are also active

day.

Thes

west of Vosges Forest, sending The Mission referred to the able generalship and un-out a number of patrols which flinching spirit of the Generalissimo in directing his nation operated" till nightfall. at war and believed the sterling qualities of the leader operations, according to "the latest should be the finest assurance for the Chinese people to information, were without result. emerge the final victor..

- AMPLIFYING THE AN- SHANGHAI, DEC. 18 (REUTER) NOUNCEMENT REGARDING THE RE-OPENING OF THE YANG - TSE, a Japanese spokesman stated that so long as military operations continued on the river, navigation and trade would be subjected to restrictions dictated by milltary necessity. Asked whether it could be taken One shipping authority referred CHUNGKING, Dec. 18 (Central) | -An air raid alarm was sounded that trade and navigation that did to stated: "We welcome the news The at 10.35 o'clock this morning when not help the Chungking regime or in the hope that the Japanese ac- 3,000 tons, was scuttled by her crew

of while being pursued in the North supreme sacrifice of the na the local Air Defence Headquarters interfere with the Japanese mill-tion may be the forerunner

our final Atlantic last month. received reports that a large num- tary campaign would be permitted even better news but ber of Japanese planes had passed freely, the spokesman stated that judgment must await concrete re- through Bhasi presumably on their, this was the general idea but the sults." way to Chungking,

Japanese are not, willing to com

The Japanese planes, however, mit themselves in advance' since failed to appear over Chungking, many problems have yet to be It was later learned that the solved before the river is actually enemy squadron bombed Laifeng opened.. and Langshan, in west Hupeb.

American circles also reserve their judgment and are inclin- ed to link ine Japanese action in the Yangtse with the re- newal of the commercial treaty In January.

RESTRICTED BE-OPENING The Japanese announce that they are making preparations for restricted and conditional TE- opening of the Yangtze River Nanking; though the

RIGHT DIRECTION British shipping concerns are appreciative of the Japanese an- NEW AIR SERVICE nouncement of the re-opening of the Yangtse River below Nanking Special to the HK, Daily Press

In the near future, interpreting it LISBON, Dec. 18 (Havas)-Inau- as a step in the right direction. gurating direct air connexion be- It is pointed oat, however, that below tween France and Portugual, a the main portion of trade in the date for the proposed opening is tri-motored plane belonging to Air lower river comes from points be- not specified

This announcement was made France arrived today. A new line tween, and including. Wuhu and

public in the form of a joint.com- has been established in co-opera- Hankow, while trade tion with Fan American Airways, Shanghai and Nanking is very munique issued by the Japanese

Continued on Page 7 crnnecting New York and Lisbon. small,

between

On Other-

Pages

R.A, Chip polo Army hockey final Fanling, races Rifle shooting Radio programmes Coming events

Pag

2

2

+2

3

3

Crossword puzzle

4

5

6

Loloma party Leading article Manslaughter; case Finance, commerce

The Mission sincerely hoped that China's victory will not be far away to redeem the

tion for championing human justice and righteousness.".

THỂ SOONG BITTRE

Fabian League's All Burma special message to General- Issimo and" Madame Chlang. The text of the message released on Dec. 15.

BRIEF MESSAGE

WAS

A

DAWN RAID PARIS, Dec 18 (Reuter)-A

statement gives semi-oficial thriling account of hand-to-hand [fighting between "French and Ger- man troops it a dawn raid "by" German reconnaissance unita.

The Germans attacked in unusual Generalissimo Chiang replied in strength for this type of opera

Advancing The Mission eulogized the three brief message. He said that due tion, over 200, men Soong sisters, and sald Mesdames to internal unity and external under cover of a protective barrage. Eun Yat-sen, H. Kung, and sympathy and assistance, China's of artillery and machine gun fire. Chiang Kai-shek are truly re-historic war for national indepen-

presentative

womanhood.

of China's

Just as

new dence, East Asian safety and worlá Madame peace has met and conquered Wits

The attack was launched at about 6.15 am, in the sector east of Moselle and was re- pulsed with heavy loss after sharp hand-to-hand fighting. in which the French resorted to the bayonet, after hand- grenade attacks.

2 Bun assisted Dr, Sun Yat-sen in greatest difficulties and is now

his revolutionary work in the past, nearing final victory,

The Generalissimo thanked on Madame Chiang helped and is helping Generalissimo Chiang in behalf of the entire nation the his work during the past twelve Mission for their call on China years, and it is impossible and believed that relations bo-

ARTILLERY FIRE enumerate the various important tween China and Burma will be achievements of the nation's lead further cemented by the mutual PARIS, Dec. 18 (Reuter)The Issued today ing couple.

goodwill of the two peoples and war communique. the closer communication facilities states that it was a quiet night

and there was some artillery fire. that are being developed.

Mr. Ba Choe, member of the Mission, then presented the: