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Hongkong Telegraph
FOUNDED 1001
No, 10
五拜禮號五月五英港香·
FRIDAY, MAY 5, 1939. ·日六十月三
CHINA'S CAPITAL BECOMES A
FUNERAL PYRE FOR 3,000
Greatest Air Raid
Reduces City To Shambles
By ROBERT P. MARTIN, “United Press" Special Cor-
respondent.
CHUNGKING, To-day. CHINA'S WAR-TIME CAPITAL HAS BECOME A FUN- ERAL PYRE FOR THREE THOUSAND OF ITS CITIZENS.
The most horrifying air raid the world has ever known has reduced the city to a shambles.
Flimsy wooden buildings which house a war-time population of one-and-a-half million people are providing fuel for seven great con- flagrations, compared with which the burning of Canton and Hankow during the Japanese occupations are mere bonfires.
HAILSTORM OF BOMBS
THE BOMBERS have broken through,
Despite the greatest concentration of Chinese planes seen during the war, and despite the almost impregnable chain of anti-aircraft batteries atop the mountains that almost surround the city-the topography is greatly reminiscent of Hongkong's-thirty-two of the thirty-eight warplanes which set out from the Japanese base at Hankow roared through the defences for the second time in 48 hours.
They-dropped-over--100-bombs-in-a-raid that-lasted-less-than-an-hour............ The inevitability of fires through Chungking's narrow streets of rotting wooden buildings was foregone.
points.
Light incendiary bombs dropped like hailstones at the city's most vulnerable
They were accompanied by great torpedo bombs-500 times as heavy as the incendiaries—and crash succeeded crash as the city shook and crumbled before the onslaught.
- TERRIBLE FATE
Hundreds of victims died without knowing what had happened. But a more terrible fate awaited-still awaits-hundreds of others.
They have been buried alive in the debris of a stricken city.
Now that the raiders have
gone,
turned
has everyone feverishly out to assist in the;
work of rescue.
Fire, menacing and terrible, is licking through the ruins from
several directions.
Cries become shrieks as many of the trapped victims realise the tale
that is approaching them.
There are raging und uncontrolled infernos in seven separate-parts of | the city.
Bucket Gangs
There are no water
mains
with
10
which to fight them.
There are no pumps and hose
PAOCHI
SIAH
BUNGKING
CAPITAL
NANKING
ICHANG
bring a quenching_flood from the Children were the most pitiful rest throughout the night.
ons family, huddled near the door nurrow
CHUNGKING FROM THE YANGTSE
Sagres Seizure Protests
LONDON, May 4.-Ques
the tioned in
House of Commons about the Japanese seizure of the British steamor Sagres on-April-8,-Mr.-R.-A.- Butler stated that ropresonta- tions had been, made to the Japanese authorities in China, and the Foreign Office in Tokyo, for the release of the
vossol.-Reuter,
DALADIER REAFFIRMS POLICY
800,000 Men To Be Conscripted
second Military
NEW LIGHT ON RESIGNATION
Anglo-Soviet Deadlock?
LONDON, May 4.
THE SOVIET Foreign Minister's re- signation has come as a surprise to diplomats, whose first reaction is that it may represent a victory for the Soviet isolationists who are opposed to M. Litvinoff's policy of co-operation with the western powers.
Newspapermen conveyed the news to the Soviet Ambassador here at the annual dinner of the China Society, but he refused to comment.
Other Soviet sources also declined to give any explanation.
Soviet sources, however, have been predicting during the past few days that the Soviets would break off negotiations if Britain and France failed to accept the Soviet offer of an ironclad mutual assistance pact.
It is thought, therefore, that the isolationists, who are believed to include military chiefs, feel that it is useless to seck Franco-British aid in halting aggression in Europe and that the Soviets should withdraw behind their own frontier, from whence they could repel any "direct attack on the Soviet Union-United Press.
STUMBLING BLOCK
LONDON, May 4. MOVING THE reading of the
TOKYO, May 4. JAPANESE political circles, Training Bill in the House which appear to be well-informed of Commons to-day, Mr. on events in Russia, attach great. Neville Chamberlain said importance to reports reaching that the bill would produce Tokyo that Great Britain and 200,000 men this year, and Soviet Russia have failed to 800,000 in the three years of reach a basis for agreement, its currency,
He declared that, so far as he could judge from the evidence from different parts of the
GERMAN MOVE FOR ALLIES
BERLIN, May 4.
It is officially announced that
has Germany
reached An non-aggression pact-Reuter. agreement with Latvia for a
Reciprocal Contact
BERLIN, May 4.
PLEASE Turn To Pago 4.
It is believed that the negotia llons have reached stumbling block
on the
question of the Inclusion of the Far East in any milllary pact that may be reached. It is reported in Tokyo that the PARIS, May 4. M. DALADIER, the Prime country, the view that he had Soviet has insisted that the proposed already expressed that the care-agreement should apply equally to Minister, made the followingful disposal of the Government's Europe and the Far East, Britain statement to the press to-night. proposals would dispose of fears endeavouring to persuade the Soviet and France, however, have been "The newspapers announced this and doubts about the idea of to exclude the Far East from the
IT HAS been reliably stated morning that on Thursday next the conscription had been confirmed. agreement. Government would make a declara-
Japanese sources claim that Britain that Germany has moved to tion in the Chamber about the inter-
People Determined
and France, nevertheless, promised further extend their non- nollenal situation.
that they would extend more "1
"There can be no possible mannerous assistance to the Chinese Govern-aggression front with tentative believe
that under these circum- stances. I should wait no longer, but of doubt that the determination of ment and would not oppose the offers of mutual non-aggression should stale now what the general the British people to put themselves despatch of Soviet volunteers to the pacts to Greece and other small
in a position fully to carry out the assistance of China,
Powers, In addition to the As I walked through the city walls with blood as foreign and Chinese purport of that declaration will be.
"The altitude of France defined in undertakings which they have been
Promaturo Concessions Scandinavian and Baltie coun- continued to topple and I saw many doctors hopelessly attempted to cope my broadcast speech of March 29 giving, as evidenced by this great who escaped the initial disaster dlc with the constant stream of
|tries. dead has not changed, and will not change. departure fron un old tradition, has in these new dongers.
Japanese circles belleve that the and dying carried in from the streets. External events are sufficient to con-created a very profound respect all
Observers hero express the belief retirement of M. Litvinoff may be that their objective is not only to They carried out operations without firm the legitimacy and necessity of over Europe."
traced to his concessions to Britain, safeguard the German northern flank. yellow waters of the Yangise, 200 vietima. I saw eight, obviously of
our policy of vigilance and firmness. Mr. Chamberlain dwelt on the especially his willingness to exclude in the event of war, but also to hundred feet below in the
Many streets are knee deep in This policy as the approval of the gorge.
of a wrecked tenement. They wero debris, and thousands of terrified cutire country as has been proved by position of conscientious objectors, the Soviel's Far Eastern frontiers attempt to short circult the demo- Instead, great chain bucket gangs
people are fleeing into the mountains, the consultations and decisions of the who he considered, had been dealt from an agreement.
On the other hand, the Influential, with in a broad-minded manner. have been formed. They are pass-
Ho anticipated that the temptation "Kokumin Shimbun expresses the The most horrifying thought is the their one thought to get away from departments and Assemblies.
to take advantage ing buckets of water from hand to inevitability of those flames, licking this horror that has come so sudden-
the provisions opinion that M. Litvinoff has been Raising Doubts
in this respect would be less than in dismissed by M. Stalin in order to hand-to provide meagre and steadily at the heart of the city. Itly upon them.
"However, it seems that both in the last war because it was not now strengthen relations with Great pitiful dribble against the raging, seems that nothing can stop those all-consuming Infernos.
France and In foreign countries, in- contemplated that men would be Britain. great conflagrations, which through-
exact information and tendacious asked to serve overseas, or to fight in. This newspaper is apparently alone One blaze has completely. 'sur-juut last night turned night into day.
CHUNGKING, Later.
comments or distorting the real trenches, but to undertake a com- in iis opinion. Other rounded the Methodist Episcopal
There is a path of death a mile facts, the object being either to un-paratively short period of com- declare that the withdrawal of M. and a half long and 500 yards wide dermine the determination of the pulsory training.
Litvinoff means a total reversal of The Government desired to respect Soviet foreign policy and a return that through the heart of the business Government and the nation, or
raise Youbts in foreign Biotection of the war-time capital.
countries scruples were they conscientiously to the original policy of lolation, world has But the herole work of the fire about the clarity and conslatency of held. There would be no persecu-Domei,
brigades and volunteers is gradually French policy, that all bringing the roging
Usually reliable foreign reports fires under I cannot protest emphatically
GERMAN BOURSE "BOOMS Canadian School, from which Mr. and foreigners seem to have escaped with control.
"Bob A Day" Tommics
from Chungking state that the British enough against such distortions of the Arnold Vaught and Mr. but
BERLIN, May 4-The minor Injuries. Mr.
Dealing with the question of pay truth. In reality, the international
sudden Ambassador's secretary, Mr. John Theodore White had miraculous Vachios, United Aircraft representa- they are partially under control,
Only two now threaten the city and situation is completely clear in- and allowances, the Premier said that eclipse of M. Litvinoft has caused a Tahourdin, was injured by a falling escopes when it was struck by an in- tive, had a miraculous escape from
rock during yesterday's air rald, and Thousands of coolles have been asmuch as the variety and abstruse- - militiamen would récelve one shilling boom on the Berlin stock exchange: he was taken aboard HM.S. Falcon. cendiary bomb, has been reduced to the Chinese hotel in which his drafted to tear down houses around themselves into one single question, mouths without addition for rank or of the Soviet apostle of collective of the chief problems resolve a day during the Initial period of six Financial circles see in the removal
Communications with Chungking offices were situated Foreign pilots of the fire zones in order to create fira- the C.N.A.C., who also lived in the breaks and thus save the rest of the namely, whether, unilateral domina trade, but here would be no stop-security, the possibility of the Soviet- are so disorganised as a result of yesterday's rald, that it la impossible hotel, had previously evacuated. The city.
tion, or collaboration is to prevail in pages. The conditions when the men Union leaving the ranks, of those hotel was demolished and
Europe.
pans into the auxiliary services would countries whose foreign policy is to obtain official confirmation from be determined later. burnt.
primarily directed against Germany. The Stakos
These hopes are not, however, fully shared by well-informed Berlin circles, where the first reaction is marked by a desire to await further
A
All dead.
Hospital. An American couple, Mr. and Mrs. W. A. McCurdy, suceceded Unomcial
3,000 Died
estimates
state
in escaping from their home just na 3,000 have already died. It la the flames reached it.
greatest death roll the
The Canadian French Mission has ever witnessed from an air raid. been devoured, and the nearby The amazing thing
been
Mrs.
ashes.
Tour Of City
I have just volumed from a tour of the burning and devastated clty, "Eyva now, as I write, the groans "kud shrieks of hundreds of people
irapped below the wreckage : is {pitals, 37 resounding in my ears.
V.
later
Hospitals Packed" During the night I visited the hos-
The floors were literally dripping
Path Of Death ..
A Chinese communique claims that one Japanese bomber WRB brought down.
The "Central News" Agency office was partially destroyed,
PLEASE Tum To Pago 4.
to
"It is therefore in the last resort, the safety of France and the future of civilsation which is at stake, and
tions.
!
Special allowances for total do- pendants would be 17- shillings a week, 12 shillings a week for partial dependants, and 17 shillings a week
newspapers
PLEASE Turn To Page 4. *. PLEASE Tum To Pago Ai NA PLEASE Turn To Page 4.
-
LATEST
Embassy Secretary Hurt In Raid
Shanghai, May 6.
any source-Reuter
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