Evening star. [volume], February 04, 1932, Page A-5, Image 5

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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CHINA HOLDS 01
IN SHANGHAI FIGHT
Shell Starts Fire Inside In
ternational Zone During
Battle.
_(Continued From First Page )
evening the staff was busy directing
Intricate street fighting in the city snd
synchronizing by radio the attacks by
the airplane bombers.
The third attack, which Japanese
hoped would end in clearing out all the
Chinese from North Chapei, was to
sweep the Chinese positions with ma
chine guns and three-inch artillery,
aftrr which the bluejackets would
hurriedly withdraw while the bombing
planes swooped down and dumped their
explosive cargoes on the buildings held
bv the Chinese. After *his the blue
jackets were to rush in again in an at
tempt to gain a few yards during the
confusion that was expected to result.
Gained Only a Little.
After four hours of heavy and per
sistent fighting earlier in the day the
Japanese admitted they had "gained
only a little." They hoped the com
bined artillery and aerial attacks this
evening would flatten out the congested
area in Chapie, permit more open fight
ing and make possible a more rapid
advance.
The naval forces bombarding Woo
sung blew out the commercial cable
head, leaving radio and the great
northern cable as the only means of
communication with the outside world.
At 8 o'clock tonight Chinese head
auarters said the fighting at Woosung
had ended with the Chinese still hold
ing the fort. It seemed likely that
t!ie engagement would be resumed to
morrow.
The Japanese naval commander
apologized to the British and Amer
ican consuls for destruction of the
cable head and promised to provide a
guard for the repair crew.
Forts Withstand Attack.
The forts held their own under the
heavy bombardment today as they did
yesterday, when at one time they were
reported by the Japanese to have been
flattened out.
The heaviest shelling took place be
tween 11 o'clock and noon, an eyewit
ness reported. After that Japanese
destroyers crept up closer to the forts,
he said, apparently in order to draw
fire from the Chinese guns. The chief
response from the Chinese, however,
came from the machine gunners on
Bcochow Creek.
"When I arrived." the observer said,
“one of the destroyers apparently had
b en hit and was beached. But it got
o:T later and steamed down the river.
Four Japanese airplanes then roared
err the forts.”
The firing beat a tattoo for the land
ing of a fresh group of more than 300
T inted States Marines from the cruiser
Houston, which arrived from Manila
yesterday. The Leathernecks took it in
fine humor, asking "Where's the war?"
as the boom of the warships' guns
down the river and the rattle of the
Tighter, sharper fire in the city smote
their ears.
“Ain't That Music!”
The Marines were marched to the
International Settlement, where they
will take up posts to protect American
lives and property. “Ain't that music!"
shouted another Marine as they were
stepping off the distance to the settle
ment from the wharf.
Official dispatches from Tokio said
the Japanese government decided today
to send a full army division of fresh
troops to Shanghai to replace the 5,000
bluejackets who have been fighting
with the Chinese there since last Fri
day.
A tentative decision to send the army
division was reached last Monday at a
conference between Foreign Minister
Kenkiehi Yoshizawa and the ministers
of the army and navy, Gen. Araki and
Admiral Osumi. It wras ratified by the
cabinet today.
The fighting along the settlement
borders ceased in midafternoon. A de
tachment of marines went forward and
occupied a blockhouse post on the rifle
range road which for the past six days
was manned by volunteers from the
settlement. The blockhouse was under
fire continually during the sniping,
bombing and shelling and undoubtedly
v is struck by thousands of bullets dur
ing the time the volunteers held it.
Rain Helps Clean Streets.
Many residents of the city were dis
playing bullets today that had struck
the walk of their houses and fallen
to the ground.
A heavy downpour of rain served to
clean the littered streets. Work on
sandbag barricades continued at a fast
pace in the settlement. Japanese
Coops continued in control of stations
in the northern area of the settlement
in spite of reports that the Chinese
police would take them over. Sniping
continued long after the fighting
ceased.
Three Japanese naval airplanes
bombed the North Station area of
Chapei during the afternoon. Business
was at a standstill as people filled the
streets and roofs watching the bomb
ing operations, and the sky was dark
ened with smoke from the C'napei fires.
Guards at homes and business houses
In the settlement were strengthened
and flags of neutral nations were prom
inently displayed on all buildings and
on vehicles.
Official reports that 120 Japanese
airplanes were concentrated on aircraft
carriers lying off the Saddle Islands
and Hangchow Bay heightened appre
hension of further bombardment from
the air.
While the bombardment of the Woo
sung forts was going on 50 British
soldiers aboard the British steamer
Fengtien found themselves in a dan
gerous spot.
These men, their enlistment periods
over, were bound for Tientsin. Just as
they were passing the forts the firing
started Without warning, the soldiers
said, the Japanese destroyers shot
across the tows of the Fengtien and
the fortress replied. The steamer raced
to get out of the zone of danger.
A driving storm of snow and rain was
enveloping the city and strong winds
were kicking up lashing seas off the
China coast Five American destroyers
on the way here from Manila were ex
P r’.cd to arrive this morning, but were
delayed and their arrival is now indefi
nite.
Will Not Yield Ground.
Gen. Chen Min Chu, Chinese Na
tionalist minister of communications,
today declared that "not a single inch
of territory will be yielded to the Jap
anese by the 19th Chinese army as long
as a singl* man Is left to fight.1*
The former commander of the 19th
said every soldier m the army was
determined to offer his life for his coun
try and was w illing to make the sacri
fice as the price of national existence. |
"China is willing to accept any pro- i
posal which is Just and which conforms !
with international law," he said. “We
are willing to seek peace through dip- |
lomatic channels, if the powers of the j
world realize who is guilty of destroying
world peace ”
Chen declared that the action of the
19th army w>as justified "in defense of
the nation,” and pointed out that the
Nationalist government had moved to
Honanfu because it wanted “to carry on
a long fight against aggression.”
Horticulturist to Speak.
John C. Wister, president of the
American Iris Society, and secretary of
the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society,
will speak February 9, at a meeting of
the American Horticultural Society
In the Interior Department Auditorium,
f Mr. Wister will speak on “European
Cartieoi” _
Gen. Chang of Kentucky
CHINA’S AVIATION CHIEF REAL SOLDIER OF FORTUNE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, February 4—Over
in China in the thick of the
fighting is Gen. Chang Hui
Chang. They call him Gen.
Chang, and he is commander
in chief of the Chinese air forces, but
his name isn’t Chang at all, and he
isn’t even Chinese.
Gen. Chang originally was a Ken
tuckian, and his home now is at Hig
ginsville. Mo. In the United States and
in practically every other country of
the world, the head of the Chinese air
service is known as Bert Hall. During
the World War as a member of the
Lafayette Escadrille. this air fiighter
bagger 20 enemy planes, and received
official credit lor nine. There is no
telling how many additional will be
added to his crop if the Sino-Japanese
conflict continues.
Gen. Chang Since 1929.
During the World War he crossed i
tracer bullets with the finest airmen
the Germans produced, and he came
out able to answer roll call on all but J
a few occasions. He is one of the best
flyers in the Orient.
Hall has been Gen. Chang since 1929,
but only his relatives and his closest
friends knew it for a long time after
he had adopted the Oriental name.
Since then he has slipped from one
command to another as various Chinese I
factions came into power. Only last
Summer, according to a letter received [
here by Lieut. John J. Niles, who first
met Hall when they both were flying
in Franc?, Gen. Chang took seven of
his best pilots and deserted the Nank
ing government to become head of the j
air corps of the Canton government.
His friends are watching develop- j
ments closely across the Pacific, for i
they know that Bert will be found i
wherever there is fighting, and when I
last heard from he was headed in the !
direction of the trouble.
Fought for Abdul Hamid.
Gen. Chang was one of the original
organizers of the Lafayette Escadrille.
He is aviation's first real soldier of for
tune. He started when airplanes were
still in their infancy and has battled
under half a dozen flags. Before the
World War. Hall had drifted to Turkey,
where Abdul Hamid was fighting the
Bulgars, and became the Turkish air
force—he was the only flyer—at $100 a
day. Later he shifted over to the Bul
garian side, when the Turks cut his
pay. He was in Paris when the guns
started booming in 1914 and promptly
enlisted in the Foreign Legion.
In December, 1914, Hall’s name was
put on the roster of the French Flying
Corps. Hall and Bill Thaw are the
knives Tokio Reply
FOREIGN MINISTER KENKICHI
YOSHIZAWA.
—A. P. Photo.
British .Boat Takes Party of
36, Including Children,
to Shanghai.
By the Associated Press.
NANKING, February 4.—Thirty-six
American women ana children were
evacuated from Nanking yesterday
aboard the British river steamer Woo
sung, which will take them to Shang
hai. A number of British women and
children also were aboard.
Other members of the American col
ony will be taken out of Nanking on
the United States destroyer Simpson,
now anchored in the Yangtze off the
Nanking docks.
Foreign business men and mission
aries decided to remain in the city for
the present. The American consulate
did not advise its nationals to get out
of the city, but offered assistance to all
who desired it. The British consular
authorities warned that British women
and children should be taken to places
of safety.
Sir Miles Lampson, British Minister
to China, was expected in Nanking.
It was understood urgent Instructions
that he proceed to Shanghai awaited
him here.
Among those evacuated on the Woo
sung were the families of employes of
the American International Export
Co., the Texaco Oil Co and the Brit
ish-American Tobacco Co. The Woo
sung was jammed to capacity when it
sailed.
MISSIONS IN MANCHURIA
IN NEED OF MEDICINE
American Missionaries Listed by
Catholic Board Include Two
From Maryland.
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, February 4.—American
missionaries in Manchuria are in great
need of medical supplies to treat the
thousands of natives suffering from ef
fects of the conflict there, Rev. Edward
F. Garresche, director of the Catholic
Medical Missiflh Board, said yesterday.
In addition to five Chinese priests,
the Catholic Foreign Missionary Society
of America has 14 American missionary
priests, two brothers and 12 sisters in
Manchuria, he said.
Among the missionaries and their
homes are:
Priests: Howard C. Geselbracht, Chi
cago, 111.; Rev. Armand Jacques, Wind
sor, Ontario; Rev. Gerard A. Donovan,
Pittsburgh, Pa.; Rev. Leo Hewitt, Cum
berland. Md.
Sisters: Mary Julina, Green River,
Utah; Mary Famila. Detroit, Mich.;
Ellen Mary, Omaha, Nebr.: Mary
Gloria, Baltimore, Md.; Mary De Lellis,
Lexington, Ky.
-» . .
Bishop Mitty Elevated.
VATICAN CITY, February 4 (/Pi.—
Pope Pius today appointed Bishop
John Mitty of Salt Lake City. Utah,
to be titular Archbishop fcf Egina, and
nominated him eventually to succeed
Archbishop Edward Hanna of San
Francisco,
GEN. CHANG Hl'I-CHANG
I BERT IIALL).
only survivors of the original seven
American flyers who formed the Lafay
ette Escadrille.
Now after more than 20 years of air
plane adventure. Hall is found ag^n
in the midst of a big conflict, and in the
i thick of it. He is in his late 40s.
(ConyrlKht. 1932.)
i '
IF PEACE FAILS
China Lacks Raw Materials
for Munitions and Japan
Has Little Gold.
China's lack of raw material for the
manufacture of munitions and Japan’s
low gold stock will bring hostilities at
Shanghai and other points to a close
within one month should peace pro
posals fall through, according to opin
ions expressed today in well informed
Government circles here.
It was pointed out that China has no
facilities for the manufacture of steel,
and that the finished material now on
hand is limited. There are no first
class steel manufacturing plants
throughout China, and the blast fur
naces scattered throughout the republic
are not only antiquated, but can be used
only for the manufacture of pig iron.
In event of a blockade at Shanghai
by Japan, together with Japan in con
trol of all railways in Manchuria. China
would be shut off from its outside steel
resources, it was said.
Japan Controls Mines.
While China has supplied Japan with
iron for years, all of the important
mines, both in China and Manchuria,
are now controlled by Japanese. In
the past the republic’s chief source of
munition supplies came from its huge
arsenal at Mukden. This plant was
seized by the Japanese September 18
last and its 8,000 employes thrown out
of work.
Other and small munition plants in
Manchuria also have fallen into hands
of the Japanese.
On the other hand, Japan has ample
raw material to carry' on an extensive
invasion, but doubt was expressed here
in governmental circles as to whether
its finances would permit an expedi
tionary force of any size to remain in
Chinese territory for any length of time.
On January 30 Japan's gold reserves
were quoted here as being $221,330,000.
Meantime, from sources outside of the
Government, it was learned today that
American direct investments in China,
as distinct from holdings in the United
States of Chinese bonds, amounted to
$129,768,000, of which $10,221,000 is in
American branch manufacturing estab
lishments.
Shanghai Is Center.
About 65 per cent of all direct invest
ments by Americans in China are con
centrated in Shanghai, where practi
cally all American firms, representing
virtually all phases of international
trade, have central offices.
Although these firms number about
250, the following represent the most
important for China as a whole, and
the majority of these have central offices
in Shanghai:
American Asiatic Underwriters, Inc.,
U. S. A.: American Banknote Co.;
American Express Co.; American Con
struction Co., Inc., U. S. A.; American
Machine & Foundry Co.; American
Trading Co.: Anderson, Meyer & Co.,
Ltd.; Arkell & Douglas, Inc.; Asia Life
Insurance Co., Inc., U. S. A.: Belting &
Leather Products’ Association, Inc.;
Bolton Bristle Co.; China & Japan
Trading Co, Ltd.: Connell Brothers’
Co., Inc.; Dodge & Seymour (China),
Ltd ; The Robert Dollar Co.; E. I. du
Pont d? Nemours & Co , Inc.; Eastman
Kodak, Co ; Equitable Eastern Banking
Corporation; Paul I. Fagen & Co.;
Getz Brothers & Co.; Gilmore United
Petroleum Co.; Goodyear Tire & Rub
ber Export Co.; Haskin & Sells; Hea
sock & Check Co.; Herzberg-Peacock
Enterprises, Inc., U. S. A.: H. S. Honigs
berg & Co., Inc., U. S. A: Kellogg
Switchboard 4: Supply Co.: Robert Lang,
Inc., U. S. A.; Liggett k Myers Tobacco
Co. cChina), Ltd.; Ely Lilly & Co.;
Marshall Field 4i Co.; Raven Trust Co.,
Inc.. U. S. A.; Charles A. Schleren Co.;
Shanghai Building Co., Inc., U. S. A.;
Silk Association of America: Simmons
Co. (China Division); Singer Sewing
Machine Co.; United States Rubber
Export Co.; Vacuum Oil Co.; John
Wannamaker Co.: Wolworth Interna
tional Co.; Yangtze Rapid Steamship
Co., Inc., U. S. A.: American Interna
tion Underwriter, Inc., U. S. A.; Ameri
can-Oriental Banking Corporation; Asia
Fire & Marine Underwriters, Inc., U.
S. A.; China Electric Co., Inc.; China
General Edison Co., Inc.; China Motors,
Inc., U. S. A.; Shanghai Evening Post;
Ford Motor Co. Exports, Inc.; Fox
Film Corporation; General Motors
Japan, Inc.; National City Bank
of New York; Aluminum, Ltd.; Col
gate-Palmolive-Peat Co.: Henry W.
Peabody k Co.; Parke, Davis k Co.;
Standard Oil Co. of New York; The
Tex-.; Co.; Baldwin Locomotive Works;
International Harvester Co., and Pacific
Orient Co.
In addition to these, the American &
Foreign Power Co. controls the Shang
hai Power Co., the electric light and
power plant of the International Settle
ment, while the International Telephone
<te Telegraph Co. controls the Shanghai
Telephone Co. /
NEW PROTEST SEN!
Use of International Zone
in Shanghai Subject
of Joint Note.
_ (Continued From First Page.)
the United States, Great Britain and
Italy, agreed to cease hostile acts there
if Japan is assured the Chinese will
"immediately and completely cease
their disturbing activities."
The Japanese reply, however, took
exception to the fifth proposal of the
Western powers. The statement said
the Japanese government regards the
Manchurian question as entirely sepa
rate from the Shanghai affair, and
added “it is a settled policy of the Jap
anese government not to accept assist
ance of neutral observers or partici
pants in the settlement of questions
pertaining to Manchuria. F\or this rea
son the condition embodied in para
graph five of the powers’ note is not
acceptable to the Japanese government."
The reply, which was presented by
Foreign Minister Kenkichi Yoshizawa
after it had been approved by the cab
inet and Emperor Hirohito, added,
however, that if the Chinese regulars
or non-unlformed forces persisted in
their activities Japan would be com
pelled to reserve full freedom of action.
Plans to Send Army Troops.
A few minutes before the note was
made public It was learned that the
government decided definitely to send a
full division of army troops to Shang
hai to take the place of the bluejack
ets, who have been bearing the brunt of
the fighting since last Friday.
"In view of the undesirable menace
of the Chinese in the past and the
gravity of the present situation,” the
reply added, “the government finds it
impossible to renounce mobilization or
preparations for hostilities entirely. The
government has no objection to enter
ing into negotiations concerning the
separation of Chinese and Japanese
forces and the estabusnment of a neu
tral zone in the Chapel district If nec
essary."
The note was handed to Ambassador
W. Cameron Forbes of the United
States, Ambassador Sir Francis Lindley
of Great Britain and Ambassador Gio
vanni Maioni of Italy.
The Ambassadors were called to the
foreign office at 6 p.m. and the reply
was handed to them a short time later.
Alexander Troyanovsky. Soviet Am
bassador to Japan, also called upon For
eign Minister Yoshizawa today and it
was understood he discussed attempts of
the Japanese military authorities in
Manchuria to use the western portion of
the Chinese Eastern Railway line for
the purpose of moving troops from
Tsitshar to Harbin.
The Ru-sian Ambassador pointed out,
It was understood, that Russia condi
tionally agreed to the use of the rail
way by the Japanese for military pur
poses only on the Changchun-Harbin
Branch. A further agreement should
have been secured, he said, before using
the main line.
The meeting was entirely friendly,
it was understood, and M. Troyanov
sky's representations were in no wav
considered as a protest. He acted, it
was said, without specific Instructions
from Moscow.
A belief prevailed in some quarters ,
that the Soviet envoy also broached
again the subject of a Russo-Japanese
non-aggression pact.
Japanese Guam Line.
The foreign office published a state
ment from the headquarters of Gen.
Honjo, Japanese Manchurian com
mander at Mukden, declaring Japanese
railway guards are temporarily policing
the southern branch of the Chinese
Eastern only because this line was "en
tirely deserted by its Chinese guards.”
"Thts is only a temporary measure,”
the statement said, "and it goes with
out saving that the Japanese army has
not the slightest intention of infringing
on the rights of the railway.”
A copy of the statement was sent to
Japan's envoys at the League of Na
tions and to the principal foreign capi
tals. It declared also that the Japanese
advance on Harbin, Manchuria, is for
the sole purpose of protecting Japanese
nationals there.
Gen. Honjo's headquarters said five
Japanese were killed and 47 wounded
in a severe clash yesterday 13 miles
south of Harbin in the course of Gen.
Jiro Tamon's advance. A Japanese de
tachment first encountered 200 Chinese
troops 18 miles south of the city, the
statement said, and pursued them
northward, encountering 1,000 more,
after which severe fighting followed.
The Chinese losses were said to have
been heavy.
Gen, Tamon’s occupation of Harbin
was postponed for a day today because
of a persistent defense of the city by
Gen. Ting Chao's troops, who also
skirmished with Japanese patrols on
the southern outskirts. Gen. Tamon
was awaiting reinforcements and am
munition before attempting a final ad
vance. which was expected tomorrow.
He planned to use airplanes against the
Chinese if necessary.
WILL SEIZE HARBIN.
Tamon Warns Ting Chao to Leave
Manchurian City.
CHANGCHUN, February 4 Jiro
Tamon, the Japanese general, camped
with a brigade on the outskirts of Har
bin, today sent an ultimatum to Ting
Chao, the Chinese leader, demanding
that he withdraw In the Interests of
the city's safety.
If he refuses, Tamon planned a gen
eral attack for tomorrow morning.
The Japanese brigade went up from
Changchun earlier in the week and
waited outside Harbin for reinforce
ments which followed. Another Japa
nese force which was to have come
over from Tsitsihar could not make the
advance because Chinese had ripped up
the railway tracks at Anta.
The Rengo (Japanese) News Agency
correspondent at Harbin said Ting
Chao's men were beginning to evacuate
the city, and it appeared the Japanese
would be able to come in without re
sistance.
An official Japanese statement said
5 Japanese were killed and 47 wound
ed in a skirmish yesterday afternoon,
13 miles south of Harbin.
TOKIO TROOPS SET
TO ENTER HARBIN
Tamon Camps on Edge of City
After Advance From
Shuangcheng.
By the Associated Press.
CHANGCHUN, China, February 4 —
Harbin, headquarters of the Soviet gov
ernment’s Manchurian interests, is
within the grasp of Japanese masters.
Thousands of soldiers of the army of
Gen. Jiro Tamon are encamped on the
southern outskirts of the city in prep
aration for 8 triumphal entry today.
Winds flurried the recently fallen
snow as Gen. Tamon's troop trains ad
vanced from the city of Shuangchenk
to the southern suburbs of Harbin. The
temperature was around 30 below zero,
Fahrenheit.
The Chinese forces under Ting Chao,
who had declared that he would hold
Harbin at all costs, had retreated east
ward, and Gen. Tamon looked for no
resistance.
Before the days of Columbus, the
Mayas of Mexico an A Central America
had domesticated ana developed plants
so successfully as to "allow increase to
millions of people and a high state of
civillatlnn.
Chinese Wounded Returned From Front
S the conflict continues between the Japanese and Chinese, more and more wounded soldiers are being taken care J
of by the St. Joseph's Hospital at Tsinanfu, China. This photo recently received by the Catholic Medical Mis
sion Board in New York shows wounded Chinese soldiers in front of the hospital. —A. P. Photo, j
FOREIGN ZONE USE
AS BASE IS DENIED
Japanese Leader at Shanghai
Also Declares Warnings
Preceded Bombings.
• __ _
'Note to Editors: The following expla
nation ot Japan's position in the present
Smo-Japanesr conflict was written for
the Associated Press bp Admiral Mtneo
Osumi, minister ot the naup. who is in
general charge oner the aenvities ot the
bluejackets and warships at Shanghai.—
The Associated Press.)
BY ADMIRAL MINEO OSl'MI,
Navy Minister of Japan.
(Copyright, 3932. by the Associated Press.)
TOKIO, February 4.—We think we
owe the world an explanation of our
activities at Shanghai in view of the
misunderstandings and to avoid the
result of misinformation concerning the
present conditions there.
First and foremost, we have done
nothing that was not justified by the
strict need of protection for our na
tionals from the persecution of the
Chinese soldiers and our actions have
been entirely defensive and passive.
The trouble started January 28, a
Chinese force suddenly attacking us
while we were, in pursuance of the pre
vious agreement of foreign garrison
commanders, proceeding to the stations
allotted to us to guard. There was no
alternative for us but to fire in return.
2,000 Against 30,000
It Is not common sense to believe
that our handful of bluejackets would
assume an offensive against a force
ten-fold larger. When the conflict be
gan we had 2,000 against 30,000
Chinese. We had every disadvantage
to suffer and nothing to gain by start
ing hostilities. We took the final action
only because we were driven to the last
extremity by the behavior of the Chi
nese soldiery.
The charge that Japan used the In
ternational Settlement as a base for
attack also is unfounded. Our force
took up stations to protect Japanese
residents according to the previous
agreement with the military authori
ties of the other powers and the Chi
nese happened to launch their attack
against this section. We were com
pelled to defend the point whither the
attack was directed as an act of self
defense, pure and simple.
Criticisms of the Japanese air bomb
ing have been unnecessarily harsh.
They could only arise from ignorance
of the actual situation. That was the
only choice left for our small force,
facing overwhelming odds. Moreover,
before the beginning of the bombing,
we scouted carefully. Identifying the
points where the enemy was massing
in close formation and then gave full
warning, allowing ample time for them
to heed.
Declares Neutrals Are Fair.
We dropped bombs on their armored
trains or points where they were oper
ating artillery against us. All sorts of
rumors afloat abroad are calculated to
breed ill feeling against Japan. For
example, there is talk of increasing
friction between Japanese and Ameri
FIGHT MADE TO BAR
JAPANESE ENVOY
FROM GENEVA POST
(Continued From First Page.)
tual Information regarding their view
points before the conference gets down
to work in earnest on Monday.
The delegates were considerably
heartened by the news that Chancellor
Bruening of Germany will arrive on
Sunday and will speak at Tuesday’s
meeting. Sir John Simon, the British
foreign secretary, is coming Monday
and Andre Tardieu, French minister of
war, will be here at about the same,
time.
Last night the serenity of the confer- j
ence was broken by the appearance
over St. Peter's Cathedral of a red flag
on which had been painted in big let
ters, "Only Revolution Will Bring
Peace.”
Firemen pulled it down.
600 TONS OF SUPPLIES
TO BE SENT U. S. FLEET
Rush Order Being Assembled at
Seattle and Spokane for
Seamen in China.
By the Associated Press.
SEATTLE, February 4 — A rush order
for 600 tons of supplies for the Asiatic
Fleet, most of it to be sent directly to
Shanghai, was being assembled here
and Spokane today. The shipment will
leave for the Orient Saturday.
The consignment will include 200,000
pounds of fresh meats, 100 tons of
potatoes, 20,000 pounds of onions, 90,000
pounds of oranges, 20,000 pounds of
apples and large lots of butter, eggs,
canned goods and "dry” food products.
When the entire meat order could not
be filled here, a meat packing concern
in Spokane took over 100,000 pounds
of the order.
THIRTEEN CLUB TO MEET
Finance Corporation Is Topic for
Discussion.
The new Reconstruction Finance
Corporation will be the topic for dis
cussion at the dinner meeting of the
Thirteen Club at 6:30 this evening at
the Cosmos Club.
The speakers will be Edward Czarra,
Charles Prettyman, Ralph Houser and
Frank Johnson.
The program was arranged by Harry
Sctmable, chairman of the evening.
can sailors or of the Japanese Navy’s
lack of the co-operative spirit.
As far as we know, there is abso
lutely no foundation for these stories.
We honestly endeavored to co-operate
with the foreig*lgarrlsons as far as the
local circumstances and the require
ments of self-defense permitted.
Our public in Japan also ought to
dispel the notion that the Americans
and British are unfriendly to us. They
were very active in their efforts to re
' store order and stabilize the situation.
They have been offering their good of
fices to save Shanghai from curt war
fare. They have never tried deliber
ately to interfere to our disadvantage.
Such misunderstandings should be
dispelled immediately. I hope the for
eign public will make allowances for
the fact that in inevitable hurry and
confusion, such as that at Shanghai,
sometimes reports are cabled which, al
though honestly meant, do grave injus
tice to one party. Most of the charges
against the Japanese Navy at Shang
hai appear to have resulted from such
circumstances.
The world can trust the traditions
and discipline of the Japanese navy.
BLAME TLACED ON CHINESE.
Naval Attache Here Says Troops
Ignored Truce Agreement.
Japanese naval forces were ordered
to Shanghai merely to reinforce the
small body of beseiged sailors and to
protect the 25.000 Japanese residents of
the city, an official explanation received
j by the Japanese naval attache at Wash
ington and made public today, declared
This explanation, communicated early
yesterday from the Japanese navy de
partment, is as follows:
"At 3:15 o'clock on the afternoon of
Jahuary 28 the Chinese authorities at
Shanghai accepted our demands which
had been presented to them. At the
! same time, however, conditions in the
Chapei district and the adjoining sec
t tion of the International Settlement
had become so alarming that at 4 o'clock
i on the same afternoon the Municipal
Council of the Settlement declared a
state of emergency.
"Accordingly, it was decided that the
respective garrisions of the various na
tions should immediately be placed on
duty, each taking an assigned section
in conformity with the agreement which
had been made between the com
manders of those garrisons.
"In accordance with the above ar
rangement, at 6:15 o'clock on the same
afternoon, the Japanese consul general
and Rear Admiral Shiozawa notified
the Chinese authorities of the measure
which we had decided to take, in co
operation with the garrisons of the
other nations. At 12 o'clock of that
night, in pursuance of the above notifi
cation, our sailors proceded to the sec
tion assigned to them, when they were
suddenly fired upon by the Chinese
troops. Consequently, our sailors were
forced to return fire in self-defense.
"At 8 o'clock on the evening of the
29th, a truce was agreed upon between
the Chinese authorities and our com
mander. But while our sailors were on
duty within the assigned section, the
Chinese troops, disregarding the truce j
agreement, continued to fire upon them, j
both with rifles and guns. The firing
continued intermittentiy for three days
and nights. While these frontal attacks j
were going on, Chinese snipers in mufti i
were extensively employed to create dis
turbance within the section assigned to j
us for protection.
"The dispatch of the necessary naval
forces to Shanghai and the measures j
taken have no other purpose than to |
reinforce the small force of our sailors
who have been besieged by the Chinese
troops, estimated at 30.000. and to pro
tect the 25,000 Japanese residents whose
lives and property have been in eminent
danger of destruction."
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SENDING U. S. FLEET
TO CHINA QUESTIONED
Californians Ask Senators if In
tervention Would Be in
Public Interest.
By the Associated Press
LOS ANGELES. February 4 —A tele
gram questioning whether United States
I intervention in the Stno-Japanese con
flict would be in the common interest,
i or that of major oil companies, was sent
i last night to the Senate Committee on
Naval Affairs at Washington by Andrae
B. Nordskog. vice presidential nominee
of the National Liberty party, and J D.
Hopkins, secretary of the party's Wil
lowbrook Club near here.
"The unprecedented movement of the
' entire Pacific War Fleet of the United
States to Asiatic waters," said the tele
gram, “justifies investigation to deter
mine whether such movement is neces
sary for the preservation and rights
of the entire citizenry of our country
or for protection of the private interests
i of certain major oil companies as has
been freely rumored. Our Coastitutlon
refers to the protection of dur lives
and property in the United States, not
in China. This is sent you in accord
ance with a resolution adopted unanl
mouslv by several hundred members of
the Willowbrook Club of the National
Liberty party."
GAS MASKS FOR CHINESE
MADE IN U. S. LAUNDRY
20,000 Manufactured in Spare
Time Sent to Soldiers During
Last Few Months.
By the Associated Press.
PAWTUCKET, R. I„ February 4 —
An organizer for the Chinese National
party said yesterday that during the last
few months, 20.000 gas masks had been
manufactured in a Pawtucket laundry
and shipped to the fighting forces of
China. i
Han Loon of Boston, an organizer of
the Kuo Min Tang, said the work had
gone on quietly in the laundry of Sam
Kee. He said the masks were of the
veiling respirator type and had been
made under his supervision by Chinese
who flocked to the little Kee Laundry I
on their off-hours.
JAPAN’S INVASION '
■»
Some Observers Hold She Is
Violating Law—Others
Uphold Action.
By th» Associated Press.
Some of the observers of the Far East
panorama contend that Emperor Hiro
hlto's blue-garbed Japanese sailors are ,
transgressing the soil of a sovereign na
tion at Shanghai by occupying the
Seatest seaport In the Orient in rio
tion of the tenets of Internationa;
law.
Others say the Japanese forces of oc
cupation are only shielding the lives
and Investments of Japanese citizens lr.
a land without stable government and
thereby are acting in accordance with
the principles of long recognized
treaties.
The facts are that Japan haa more
than 30,000 nationals living, doing busi
ness and paying taxes In Greater ‘
Shanghai and has more than a billion
i dollars invested in all China—more
1 people and more money than any other
; foreign nation.
These Japanese have often been the
; victims of lawless Chinese, A few have
been killed, property has sometimes
been destroyed, commercial dealings
have been sorely hampered by the boy
cott and life in general often has been
made unpleasant for them because of
Chinese agitation.
As long as this condition exists and as
long as the Chinese government does
not rectify it, Japan insists, she must
move by force of arms to preserve her
national honor, which is the reason she
has given for landing bluejackets in the >
Chinese sections of Shanghai.
In this she goes back to precedent.
The great powers rushed troops to Pei
ping during the Boxer rebellion in 1900
They did the same thing at the time of
the Nanking incident in 1927. More
over, she has pointed out that evep in
the western hemisphere United States
Marines have long occupied Haiti Mid
Nicaragua for much the same reasons
Even in encroaching on the foreign
controlled International Settlement
Japan has a case In the opinion of some
authorities. This alien colony on
China's seaboard is governed under a
treaty to which Japan is a signatory
and is protected by a defense corps of
which her forces are a part.
If the municipal council, deriving its
authority from this treaty, is not able
to curb irresponsible Chinese in their
activities against Japanese living in the
settlement—and in this instance Japan
holds it is not—then Japan claims to
be within her rights in supplying rein
forcements
To all this, of course, China bases her
defense on extra-territoriality. The
treaties embracing these extra-terri
torial privileges were signed by old
Manchu emperors or wrung from the
Chinese Republic at the point of the
sword, say the Chinese, and they have
no validity in a generation marked by
higher ideals.
Consular and municipal authorities
at Shanghai are between two fires. On
the one hand they protest that addi
tional Japanese forces, however legal
their presence may be, are not needed
to maintain order and must not com
mit wanton acts within the settlement.
On the other hand they realize that a
situation might arise—has arisen in the ■
past—where further protection would
be imperative and Japanese re-enforce
ments would save the day.
However, the pros and cons, the Japa
nese naval commanders now are re
ported to be at a delicate impasse. The
most reliable sources indicate they in
tended only to administer a sound
lesson to China, but they have en
countered unexpected resistance and
are in danger of losing a major en
gagement to the Chinese for the first
time in history.
If they drive forward on their course
they will risk the wrath of the Western
nations. If they retreat they will face
the anger of their own people and the
jeers of the Chinese, If they adopt a
middle road they will lose "face” tr»
their own estimation—than which there
is nothing worse to the mind of the
Oriental.
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