1937-12-20 — Page 6

THE HONGKONG TE LEGRAPH, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1987.

MAYAH BREWERES

Tel. 20616

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Stubbs Rd.,

The

Hongkong Telegraph.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1937.

HONGKONG MUST GUARD ESSENTIAL SERVICE

The Government of Hongkong: is to be congratulated upon its decision to lay down in the near future two 21-inch trans-harbour. pipelines, instead of the 18-inch line recommended in the recent Report on the Water Supply.) Provision for an adequate water supply for this growing Colony is one of the essentials in any Government programme of de- velopment, though water is an element not always interesting to the public. Man. generally: speaking, is

more concerned

with his food. But a moment's ) reflection will show that water Is the most vital necessity in life. We take it too much for granted. There are complaints

SUNDAY: "Things are growing more tense...' MONDAY: "Twenty-three planes roared overhead...

I FLED from

Refugees fleeing from the Japanese bombers- "men, women, children -bedding, baskets, pillowcases filled with: goodness knows what"

NINA

This

W.

the BOMBERS

TROY, American missionary in China, sent to a friend in London this vivid extruct from her diary which tells of the flight of refugees from threatened Soochow, near Shanghui, to a mountain retreat, Mokanshan. first-hand account of how Japan's undeclared war on China affects the ordinary people was received in London simultaneously with news that a huge area of the resi dential section of Soochow had been demolished, with enormous casualties among civilians.

Mokanshan...

enough if the supply is cut off Only a few reached the security of even for a few hours, and al- though Hongkong is no stranger to the idea of rationing it would [commence to feel uncomfortable if-the-hours-of-supply-were-cut

S

UNDAY.-Things are growing more and more tense. Last night we met here-to-discuss plans and hear the to, say, four or five throughout Shanghai news over my radio. The the day. Such a condition of call has come from our Consul, "Prepare to affairs is not by any means im- Evacuate "; but no orders to evacuate or possible. Hongkong's own re-instructions where to go. So we are waiting. We are hoping that, even now, events servoirs are far from adequate for supplying the needs of the For the hospital here [Soochow is going will not make it necessary for us to go. to need help. It is terribly short of staff. little rain, Hongkong would bej a dry spot indeed were it not for the supply available from Kow- loon's usually well-filled lakes,

~~they're going fast. So are all your friends to the show. I mean). It will Island. And in a year of late or

be the Tale of the Town. So hurry along to the brightest, gayesi, eraziest show in the East

McKTOJANG R°26!

CHINA FLEET CLUB

Examination by diver of the water pipes across the harbour early this year revealed that the 12-inch line laid in 1920-30 had corroded badly. The report leads to the belief that the pipe)

The radio calls last night, and this morning remind me of the calls that were

WHEN

broadcast on England's radios during the Fen floods. As we met last night we kept the radio on and constantly heard a war- ing "Shu!" Then the music would stop and a voice would say:-

"Calling Mrs. nt Mokanshan. Hus- band well and safe. Stay where you are. ... Calling children of in Tsingtao. Stay where you are. Calling mother

of

in Paltalho. All safe. Don't leave until you hear from us...."

At ten o'clock the announcer said, in a tired voice: "We are piled up with calls. We cannot get them all through to-night. Please save your calls for to-morrow. We will start early in the morning."

It is as bad as that:

*

SUNDAY AFTERNOON.-We have decided to pack our suit-cases for a hurried exit; a bag with the immediate necessities and a big trunk full of other things, to be shipped home Ir the opportunity ever comes. Though things may quieten down overnight_and_school_re- open....

At one o'clock the message came over the radio from the United States Consul: "All Americans In Cheklang and Kiangsu Pro- vinces" (that includes us) are to move to - places of safety, not near aerodromes or con-

centration camps."

We are not hear either, and feel that per- haps after all we shall not have to evacuate Soochow And when the news comes in of the bombing of the aerodrome in Hangchow, where we thought we might be told to go. Soo-

WINTER COMES

is considered to have de-vital as guns and ammunition

Wednesday and Thursday this week at 9.15 teriorated to a dangerous extent. when it

TICKETS: $3 to 50 cents from

comes to prolonged

In the 18-inch main serious action? It will be recognised,

Messrs Moutrio or H.M.S. Westcott, Ship's Office corrosion has also occurred.then, that the time may come

In aid of Charities

司公空航亞歐

FOR PASSENGERS, MAIL & FREIGHT HONGKONG HANKOW EXPRESS

EVERY

MONDAY, WEDNESDAY & SATURDAY Dept. 11.25 am. Arr. 4.25 p.m.

and

HONGKONG CHANGSHA HANKOW SERVICE ·

EVERY

TUESDAY & FRIDAY

F1

Dopt, 11.25 a.m.

Art. 4.25 p.m. WITH CONNECTION TO SIAN, CHENGTU, KUNMING (Yunnan)

Moreover, there is considerable for Hongkong Island to preserve doubt that pipe of this load is what water it possesses in its adequate for the needs of the reservoirs against a time when immediate future. In any event, the supply from Kowloon may the decision to construct two be restricted or cut off. This 21-inch lines is welcome; for it should be another phase of the not only assures the Island of a defence scheme, and it is prob- volume of water sufficient for able, though not officially made its needs but, in the event of known, that such a plan exists. damage to one of the pipes, i Water in war, as Kipling has would prevent any real hardship. made clear and a good many These pipe lines form a vulner-thousands of old soldiers and able section of the Island's lines sailors will testify, is better of communication, it is re-than beer as à beverage. More cognised. It is not necessary to than ever, in times of bombard stress here the necessity of ment, water is necessary for the adequate water supply for the proper sanitation of a city. How preservation of the health, in-essential it would be in prevent- deed the life, of the Colony.ing the spread of fires started Since Hongkong's defences at by incendiary bombs, particular- this time are a matter of in-ly in such crowded areas as terest to everyone, it is gratify-Hongkong possesses, no-one ing to know that with the com-needs be told. pletion of the proposed new A story is told of the war in mains the Island's supplies are Mesopotamia in 1917 when a doubly secure. But there is also stricken Turkish post sent a problem in the protection of message to the lines behind: the Bource of supply. Such "We have neither food nor am- grent engineering works as the munition. There is not a man Shing Mun Dam offer an excep- Junwounded. But, we can hold tionally fine target to anyone this point another day if you bent upon the destruction of this can send us water." It must be

EURASIA AVIATION CORPORATION Colony or the procuring of sur- supposed that the garrison com-

H.K, OFFICE: KING'S BLDG., 4th Flr. Tel. 25552.

render. How better could an mander anticipated that am- enemy strike a blow than at a munition would come along with fortress water, every bit as 'the goatskins.

WHAT do you do with yourself in winter? Does the bad weather get the better of you? Does the cold "kill" you? Or do you conquer conditions, make them your servants?

So many people throw up their hands when winter comes. Kamerad!" they cry. "Please don't be too hard on me," they moon,

The first signs of winter see thick clothing and wool- ly waistcoats produced. Fires are piled up. Hot water bottles are ordered for beds. Worse still, conversation turns upon the weather. The cold, wet, foguy at- nosphere is mentioned ad nauseam. Its ill-effects are stressed by all and sundry.

Psychologically, a vast number of persons talk them- selves into a state of misery winter. If they fell cheer- ful when they leave their homes for work, they are right down. In the dumps by the time they have told their friends, or their friends have informed them, how treacherous are winter winds and rains,

A Wrong Approach

The majority of ur approach winter in quite the wrong spirit. We make up our minds to be wretched." And wretched we become.

Mr. A. gets a cold every December. He is de- termined upon that point. He cannot remember a December when he has not had a cold or influenza, He tells his pals all about it. They are not Interested, but that does not stop him from recording the sensational news. December comes, Mr. A. settles back comfort- ably. waiting for the cold. Until that appears, he is ungy. Of course, It comen sooner or inter. He thinks himself into it. Although a sad case with his cold, he is Inwardly happy. He has done his great trick. Ils annual big event is on,

Some Individuals are so unhappy in winter that I often consider it a pity they cannot be like some animals and hibernate. Many of them come near to it. One never sees them except when they are going to and from their work. They bury themselves Indoors. They may as well be in the earth for all the good their lives are to them In winter.

Others, more amuently placed, hibernate in a different way. They flee to the sunshine of the South of France or other delectable spota.

(Continued on Page 5.)

cliow seems to be the safest place we know of.

Now I am

taking my watch by the radio. We are diyiding up the hours so that no calls shall be missed, As I writa planes are zooming overhead. We are on the direct air route from Shan- ghai to Nanking, and hardly an hour passes without wo hear the roar of their en- gines. Markings aro BOL clear, but we judge them to be Chinese. We hope so, anyway...

MONDAY MORNING.-No

one is allowed on the streets -to-day. We are getting rendy to evacuate, for we realise the call may come at any moment. The servants asked that if we went no one should stay. But some of them may wish to.

MONDAY, 4 P.M.-A Jap- anese plane formation has Just left us; 23 denth-deal- Ing bombers, bombing just ontalde Soochow. We heard them coming.

A great rour of engines sent Kate and I rushing to Our uncovered porch. We saw them, a great distance above us.

While we were wondering whether or not they were Japanese the question was answered by great crash to the south. We dived for the comparative shelter of the house. Everyone gathered in an inside hail on the first floor where radio Instructions told us to go in case of a rald.

Fifteen bombs dropped in quick succession. shaking doors and windows-and folk. None was very near us; but they sounded as if they were right next door,

LATER. All afternoon and evening planes. have been zooming overhead. Several Umes during the afternoon the sirens called every- one to cover, and distant booms were heard. But Soochow continued tense and quiet, walt- Ing, watching, dreading.

By supper-lime things seemed quietened down. At 6.30 we went in to supper. We had Just got the blessing asked and the plates served, when someone said, "Listen! We knew only too well what to listen to,

+3

A thunderous noise announced yet another rald (we learned later that there were 40 planes which came in formation, then scat- fered and covered the entire city), Wa-went- back to the inside hall again: family, friends. servants, refugees from across the city, The electricity was switched off to protect us against fire should wo be hit.

We heard plane after plane sweep by, then the deep boom and crash of an exploding bomb, another, another. Then a short pause as the planes turned back again, another exploston, and another.

Our doors and windows, our new house, and we ourselves shook. The house seemed to be made of pasteboard. One bomb dropped so near that we feared the new school building had been hit.

For an hour it kept on: a roar increasing in intensity as the planes advanced, the noise of the explosions as bombs were dropped, a pause as the planes made a great circle over the city. then the whole procedure over again.

TUESDAY.-Slept in small room in hos- pital, like sardines. There were no raida dur- ing the night, but even so there was not much sleep for us. We thought and talked about the raids.

I asked one doctor whether his house had rattled. "The house?' he said. "I don't know. I was trembling so myself, I couldn't tell- about the house."

The uncertainty of overything unnerved us more than the actual danger. We were so tense, not knowing what to expect, fearing to move to ene to even necessary things. We heard the roar of the planes when they were there-and thought we heard when it was only the rising wind. Even the bang of a door caused us to glance at each other in dread.

This morning has been better: only occa- sional planes passing in troos and threes. But distant explosions are a constant reminder that the danger is not so far away as we would Kike.

Mr. Henry has returned from Mokanshan. He has been trying since Bunday to get us boat, bus or launch to take us to Mokanahan or out of Boochaw. The Commissioner of Foreign Affaira is helping, too. But boats are scarce, and boatmen fear to take them out, for the Government has commandeered boats, trains and buses for troop movements.

Everyone listens for a whistle: wondering whether the one long blast will be followed by two short ones, to tell us that raiders are on the way.

Then, at last, the boat arrived and into it we tumbled. But still no one breathed freely until we were past the landing field two miles out- alde the city-and we were really on our way from threatened Soochow to Mokanshan and zately,

To-day's Thought- ETERNAL laws allowed us one entrance

into life but many exila,

-GENECA.