The Washington times. [volume], February 06, 1932, Page 2, Image 2

About The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939

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2
RETREAT BY CHINESE INTO AMERICAN ZONE FEARED
FOOD RUNS LOW,
NATIVE RIOTS
■ A MENACE
Shanghai Defending Force
Due for Rout«by Nipponese,
Neutrals Think
(Continued from Page 1)
Woosung, aimed to cut the Chi
nese army’s rail communications
With Nanking, westward of
Shanghai.
This morning, while Yanks of
the Thirty-first Infantry marched
from the Chaumont’s dock across
half of the Japanese defense zone
And up the Nanking Road to their
billets, Japanese heavy bombing
planes with hundred pounds of
explosives suspended from the
lower wings sailed majestically
overhead.
Chinese anti-aircraft guns
popped away at them and shells
' fell in the International city.
Chinese anti-aircraft shells are
not provided with time fuses, and
explode only when they land and
whenever they land—that is, if
they are not duds, as half of
them are.
1 It must not be forgotten, how
ever, that one of these same shells
copped one Japanese bomber on
the wing yesterday and brought
it down with the remainder of Its
bombs. Foreign residents don’t
like it. Think what will happen
if the Chinese wing another Jap
anese bomber and bring it and its
heavy body down in Shanghai’s
crowded business section.
Foreigners join the Chinese in
a protest against the Japanese
' military planes flying over the
_ International city.
Chinese Ouster Seen Near
Just about all the non-Japanese
military experts in Shanghai, of
whom there is a great big hatful
right now. are convinced that the
days of the Chinese regular army
in and around Shanghai are num
bered.
■ * And therein, boys and girls,
lies a new threat to the comfort
and well-being of the thousands
of American and other foreign
residents who make their homes
in this battle-tom metropolis.
If it’s true that China’s army
is due for a hasty exit from its
entrenchments in Chapei and
elsewhere, and because of what
I’ve heard this morning I
wouldn’t bet against that at any
odds, trouble and more trouble
is looming in this quaint and
sprawling old town of a nature
that foreign authorities and resi
dents of the International City
dislike thinking about.
Menace to Foreigners
’’’hose Chinese troops are going
to have to go somewhere. They’re
a brave crowd and don’t mind
going to their ancestors when
duty calls, but there never was
an army yet that didn’t have to
retreat in time of need.
The only trouble with this par
ticular little situation is that they
may have to retreat into the In
‘ ternational Settlement and then
* —watch out.
Arrangements have been made
to receive these Chinese soldiers
in the international city if they
will throw down their arms, but
right here is where probably the
most serious menace to foreign
residents of Shanghai arises.
Food Riots Feared
1 The streets of the Interna
tional concession are crowded
•nd packed with several hundred
thousand refugees, now suffering
the pangs of hunger and cold
and walking the pavements bare
footed.
• Rice shops have already begun
to be looted and food riots are
expected.
What will happen if these cold
•nd hungry and desperate
thousands of refugees are in
creased by thousands of fleeing
Chinese soldiers is just the thing
that is disturbing the sleep of
the foreign authorities—that is.
when the shooting stops long
enough to let them get any sleep
At all.
; Army Split Seen
■ Now, to let you In on the ex
pert military opinion I garnered
this morning, it seems that a
strong Japanese drive southwest
ward from the Yangtze River in
the direction of the Whangpoo
River but on a line west of
Shanghai could be easily accom
plished with the land, sea and air
forces the Japanese now have at
their command.
Such a drive would split the
Chinese regular forces ■’ in half,
* forcing the western half west
ward into the marshes and low
lands in the vicinity of Suchow
and Lake Taihu.
It would also cut the Nanking
railroad, thus disrupting rail
communications between Nanking
and Shanghai.
Big Problem Faced
Further south such a drive
would cut the Shanghai-Hang-
Chow Railroad, preventing re
inforcements from that direction.
Whatever forces remain to the
east of that line would be cut
off entirely from the rest of
China.
Under a rain of Japanese air
force bombs there would be noth
ing left for the Chinese de
fenders of the North railway sta
tion to do but flea across the
barriers into the International
dty-
Now maybe you’ve got some
BE5iu «Ey 4 . > sl'?'
U-ATlvr HOTcJ
yro xawah ! t
■ V IT
I I
• t*3L «"• SraMnKhK.OmtBrMifHMLCMMna v ■ f |
Be
idea of the whopping big prob
lems our diplomats and military
leaders have to worry about. It’s
a real problem, boys and girls, a
mighty real and big one.
Foreigners Reported
Aid Chinese Gunners
By DIXON HOSTE
SHANGHAI, Feb. 6, 11 p. m.
(1.N.5.). — Heavy shelling and
machine-gun fire was resumed by
Chinese and Japanese troops
along the Chapei front late to
night after a day of desultory
bombing and fighting which Re
sulted in no appreciable gain for
either side.
Observers noticed Immediately
that the renewed Chinese artillery
fire was characterized by an ac
curacy almost totally lacking a
few days ago, lending strength to
reports that foreign gunnery ex
perts had ' een called into service
by the Chinese.
Unconfirmed rumors said the
experts were former German
army officers. It also was ra
ported that a number of foreign
airmen were in the employ of
the Chinese.
Japanese marines this evening
handed over to the International
Settlement 117 Chinese prisoners
captured in the Hongkew district
during the last few days. The
prisoners were detained pending
investigation of the charges
against them.
The Japanese authorities made
every effort to keep. secret the
fact that large forces of Japa
nese infantry had been landed
between Paoshan and Lluho,
north of Shanghai. Telegraphic
communications with Lluho were
cut off.
Japanese soldiers stationed In
the International Settlement were
supplied with consular police uni
forms, tending to show the Jap
anese desire to keep secret the
presence of their army units.
A mixed brigade of 3.000 men,
augmenting the forces already on
hand, Is due tomorrow,
During the forenoon virtually
a truce was In force in Chapel,
while the Chinese continued their
celebration of New Year’s Day.
There was only Intermittent fir
ing, though Japanese planes drop
ped a few bombs.
Meanwhile Chinese troops made
merry during the forenoon and a
Japanese officer, without a trace
of a smile, asserted that hostill
ties had been suspended to give
the Chinese time to celebrate the
New Year.
Jap Brigade to Land
In Alien Settlement
Bombing of Chapel and Woo
sung forts by the Japanese con
tinued throughout today, Admiral
M. M. Taylor, commander of the
United States Asiatic Fleet, ad
vised the Navy Department.
The Woosung forts, however,
are still in the possession of the
Chinese, he added.
His message said the Japanese
consul general at Shanghai had
announced a brigade of Japanese
infantry would be landed in the
International Settlement tomov
row.
Shanghai municipal police, Tay
lor reported, are being permitted
by the Japanese to resume their
duties in certain portions of the
Japanese sector in the Interna
tional settlement.
THE WASHINGTON TIM
It's Still Good Advice!
Hunter, ‘Lost’l.N.S.Scribe,
Found Safe in Harbin
(Continued from Page 1)
of smoke indicating where the
bombs hit.
At the same time the rat-tat
l tat of machine guns and artll
’ lery fire were plainly heard,
. while across the entire left side
of the horizon continuous smoke
puffs and blasts indicated the
seriousness with which the Japan
ese were pressing the attack.
I started out riding in a two
wheeled springless Chinese cart
loaded with ammunition and
driven by a Chinese we had
picked up in the village.
The boxes of Japanese bullets
were shaken topsy-turvy when
the driver attempted a short cut
across frozen, ploughed ground.
Suddenly shells exploded in the
field we were attempting to
cross, nie short-cut was immed
iately abandoned in favor of a
detour through villages whose
inhabitants were in panicky
flight.
Whole families were on the
move as Chinese shells from
Ting Chao’s artillery began
arriving uncomfortably near. The
good-natured Chinese cart drivers
tried to reassure the villagers,
but there was nothing doing.
Sons Pull the Carts
Aged women with all their
possessions piled into their two
wheeled carts, and in the absence
of horses, their sons pulled
them.
Thus we pushed on toward
Harbin, swinging around the
edge of the battle in long curves
that made it appear as if we
would never reach our objective.
Now a Chinese two-wheeler is
no limousine. And when you
have bumped along over frczen
ground for a few hours it gets
extremely painful. So from time
to time I got out and walked.
It was a good way to keep warm.
Meanwhile Tamon’s forces were
steadily pushing along on a more
or less straight line by cart and
afoot and the Chinese resistance
as we approached Harbin sud
denly collapsed.
In this strange manner we
finally entered the city.
In Harbin we found milling
crowds, almost wholly of white
Russians, former Czarists—men.
women and children—lining the
streets and actually cheering.
Obviously they interpreted the
arrival of the Japanese as mean
ing the end of the Soviet influ
ence in North Manchuria,
Russians Wave Flags
Soviet railway officials and So
viet supporters remained Indoors.
Every Chinese shop and house
was barred with criss-cross boards.
Small groups of Chinese, with
sullen, immobile faces, watched
the Japanese entry.
Outside the Chinese district few
Chinese could be seen at all. ex
cepting police.
In front of the Japanese consul
general’s* office were crowded the
Japanese volunteer corps, organ
ized to protect Japanese Nationals
against the Chinese, and a group
of White Russians waving flags
; with three broad stripes of white,
. blue and red.
Thia tri-color la auppoaed to-
become the banner of the new
, independent government of Man
' churla, which promises to grant
the White Russians citizenship
■ and a chance to revenge them
. selves against the Soviets.
Railroads Overcrowded
. Soviet circles here are in a
. dilemma as the result of Mos-
> cow’s order overruling Instruc
. tions of the Chinese Eastern Rail
way directors not to cooperate
with the Japanese.
I found Russian employes of
the C. E. R., assisting the Japa
-1 nese troop movements all along
. the line.
But even with this aid, the
Changchun-Harbin branch was
insufficient to carry the Japanese
J troops. Caravans of military
. automobiles drove along icy roads
, parallel to the railway line.
■ These, for the most part, carried
officers. The third class railway
coaches were jammed with sol
diers, ponies, carts and ammu
nition.
Nevertheless foreign consuls
; here believe the occupation of
Harblp is a prelude to a prompt
Japanese drive in a northwesterly
direction toward Manchuli, on
. the Russo-Manchurian frontier.
. This would put Japan in control
, of all Manchuria and bring the
Japanese and the Russians face
to face on the Siberian frontier.
500-Wounded in Hospitals
Maj. Gen. Kokuro Amano, com
i manding the field forces in the
i capture of Harbin, told me, how
ever, that these reports were un
i true. Hfe declared he had no
i intention of pursuing the fleeing
i enemy, who as their last blow
s tore up the tracks of the Chinese
! Eastern Railway leading from
. Harbin to Tsitsihar, over which
. the Japanese would move if they
: advanced on Manchuli.
> Japanese headquarters reported
I tonight that several hundred
> Chinese had been killed and sev-
■ eral hundred wounded by Japa
nese bombing planes and arcil-
> lery. Nearly 500 Chinese wound
ed are in Harbin hospitals.
t The Japanese put their own
• losses at eight killed and 16
, wounded.
NEW YORK, Feb. 6 (1.N.5.).
> “Oh! That’s wonderful news!”
• Edward Hunter, father of Ed
ward Hunter, “missing’’ Inter
national News Service corres
pondent in the Sino-Japanese
fighting zone, declared today
i when told his son was appar
ently safe.
i Funds Badly Needed
In Cuba Quake Zone
Lack of funds will make recon
struction exceedingly difficult in
quake-stricken Santiago. Cuba.
! American Consul Edwin Schoen
rich reported to the State De
-1 partment yesterday. The city is
still engaged chiefly in removing
1 debris, he said. Few buildings
are safe, and a great majority of
families are living in the open
4 air or with friends.
The National Daily
FIGHT TO SERVE
CIVILIZATION,
SAYS JAP
Adm. Uematsu Surprised at
Divergence of Views in
Britain and America
By FLOYD GIBBONS
(Copyright. 1932. by Intern* I luniil
New* Service)
SHANGHAI, Feb. 6 (1.N.5.).
Rear Admiral Toma Uematsu,
newly appointed commander of
the Japanese naval landing
party at Shanghai, arrived here
this afternoon and in a state
ment to International News
Service asserted that the mis
sion of Japan's navy was to
*‘ uphold human civilization
and bring happiness to the Chi
nese masses.” He said:
“Appointed commander of the
naval landing party when the
local situation has been thus
aggravated, I sense the burden
of grave responsibility, but at
the same time I am pleased to
be given this opportunity as
one in the naval service of my
country.
Says He’s Surprised
“I am well acquainted with
the nature of the settlements
of Shanghai, and for that
reason it is a surprise to me
to learn that there is a diver
gence of views between us and
the peoples of America, Great
Britain and other nations.
“I am of the opinion that
the Japanese navy is now
working for upholding human
civilization and for bringing
happines to the Chinese
masses.
“Today we have a strong
anti-Japanese movement. If we
do not take firm measures to
punish these Chinese troops
now, I believe they will molest
other nationals one after an
other.
Psychology Is Understood
“Orientals understand the
psychology of Orientals well. I
am afraid that if precautions
are not taken, we might witness
a movement in China similar to
the anti-Christian movement.
“Such an atmosphere is not
altogether wanting. In such a
case I am of the opinion that
serious consequences to human
civilization will follow.”
Vice Admiral Kickisaburo No
mura, new commander of the
third Japanese fleet, which in
cludes the present first overseas
squadron, is scheduled to arrive
in Shanghai tomorrow.
On Nomura’s Staff
Rear Admiral Koichi Shiosawa,
now head of the first overseas
squadron, will be among the staff
officers under vice Admiral No
mura.
With the arrival of Uematsu as
commander of all naval landing
parties in Shanghai, Capt. Saron
Samepima, the officer hitherto in
command, will become second in
command of the landing parties.
JAPAN TO CURB
BOMBERS’ ACTS
By JOHN GOETTE
(Copyright, 1932, by International
New’g Service)
SHANGHAI, Feb. 6 (1.N.5.).
“Japan’s basic mistake was mov
ing into action with insufficient
forces,” Mamoru Shigemitsu,
Japanese minister to China, said
today, explaining the compara
tive ineffectiveness of Japanese
forces during the past several
days.
He said:
“Japan’s forces were com
posed of sailors who were un
able to secure the fullest suc
cess from the means and
weapons at hand.
“However, we used sailors
instead of marines or soldiers
as showing faith in our
promises that we did not in
tend territorial aggression. Im
mediately the sailors found
sniping at their rear by a cer
tain society connected with the
Chinese Nineteenth Route
army.
“Likewise the Japanese
rowdy elements got out of
hand; hence came the charges
of atrocities which I am deny
ing today. These elements were
arrested as soon as possible
and will be tried and punished.
“Also a decision has been
made to prohibit our planes
from flying over the Interna
tional Settlement carrying
bombs because of the possibility
of untoward accidents.”
NO -MIRROR—S6.4S
Driving a motor vehicle with
no rear-view mirror cost George 8.
Douglas, who gave his address as
2991 Sheridan Rd. 8. E.. $5 45 in
Police Court at Upper Marlboro,
SATURDAY—
FEBRUARY 6—1932
Slain in Cellar
bt w
lEBE3B
HH
— International Photo
FLORENCE McDONNELL
THIS 5-year-old Brooklyn
(N. Y.) girl was slain in the
basement of a store near her
home.
JAPS TO FIGHT
ARTICLE)«
TOKYO, Feb. 6 (I.N.S.).—The
foreign office today decided to
risk Japan's membership in the
League of Nations in an effort to
prevent the League Council, sit
ting at Geneva, from applying
Article 15 of the League covenant
to Japan’s controversy with China.
Naotake Sato, Japan’s repre
sentative at the council, was in
structed to go to the utmost
limits to prevent application of
the article, which provides that
members of the League submit
their disputes to arbitration by
the council and empowers the
council to investigate them.
Japan’s policy in China appears
to be at a turning point, with
the cabinet split over the question
of dispatching regular army forces
to Shanghai.
Civilians Snag Edict
Following official confirmation
of reports that Japan was send
ing a division of her army, to
taling 11,000 men, to Shanghai,
the military and civilian groups
immediately clashed.
Differences of opinion in the
cabinet this afternoon delayed
issuance of the government’s
statement on mobilization.
PEACE-SEEKERS
TAKE RECESS
The United States will make no
further diplomatic representa
tions to Japan during the next
two or three days, it was inti
mated by Secretary of State Stim
son today.
Diplomatic conversations are
continuing between the United
States, Great Britain, France,
and Italy, looking to the formula
tion of some specific move, but
apparently the powers have been
unable thus far to reach an
agreement upon the character
of that action.
SELLING NOTES
RULED ILLEGAL
Lending money at excessive
rates of interest under the guise
of note sales was declared illegal
in the District today when Police
Court Judge John P. McMahon
handed down a lengthy decision in
which he adjudged R. L. Sonne
and D. J. McGill, 1402 Rhode
Island Ave. N. W„ guilty of vio
lating the small-loan laws.
Four witnesses agqlnst the two
men were produced by Assistant
Corporation Counsel Thomas F.
Cameron, who prosecuted the
case. They testified they obtained
loans from “The Columbia Fi
nance Company” at various times,
giving deeds of trust on their auto
mobiles as security.
For a loan of SSO, the witnesses
testified, they were required to
sign a note for $65, payable in
three monthly Installments. One
man testified his car was seized
when he failed to meet a note for
$125 which he had given for a
SIOO loan and he was required to
pay $l4B plus garage rent before
he could regain possession of his
car. Other complainants also told
of seizure of their cars.
War Memorial
Unveiled Today
The memorial column to dieti
cians who served in the world
war will be unveiled by the Dis
trict Chapter, American Red
Cross, in the Women's World
War Memorial Building, today at
2 p. m.
GENEVA DOOMS
WORLD POLICE
PROPOSAL
French Plan for International
Army to Get But Little
Consideration
GENEVA, Feb. 6 (1.N.5.).
France’s grandiose scheme for
an international army and
navy to preserve world peace
is doomed to overwhelming
defeat if it ever receives seri
ous consideration at all by
the Disarmament Conference;
in session here.
This was disclosed in an over-1
night canvass made by Interna- i
tional News Correspondents of the
54 delegations represented here.
Gets No Support
Not a single one of the other
great powers will back the pro
posals laid before the conference
yesterday by Andre Tardieu,
French minister of war.
The United States and Soviet
j Russia, as nonmembers of the
League, will have nothing to do
with it, and apparently not more
France’s ambitious proposal to
create an international army to
maintain the peace of the world.
1 under control and direction of
the League of Nations, was
laughed at in Washington today,
Under no circumstances will the
United States consider becoming
a party to any such arrangement,
than half a dozen small powers,
including possibly one or two of
France’s Europeon allies, will give
their approval.
For more than two hours to
day the conference listened to
speakers representing worldwide
organizations in behalf o' neace
and then adjourned its plenary
session until Monday morning,
when Sir John Simun, foreign
secretary, will present British
views on disarmament.
Jap Attack Censored
A speech in which Emil Vander
velde, former Premier of Belgium,
intended to denounce the Japan
ese government was censored by
the petitions’ committee and the
offending phrases stricken out.
Only half the de’ jates at
tended today’s session but the
conference hall was jammed with
more than 500 women of all na
tions, each carrying a huge p k
age of peace petitions.
0.5. CAUTIONED
ON FAR EAST
Beyond “laying down a paper
bombardment” the United States
can make no effective protest
against Japanese military activi
ties in China, Senator Moses (R.)
of New Hampshire, a member of
the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, declared today. He
said:
“The first duty of the United
States is to afford full protec
tion to the lives and property
of its nationals in China. To
do this is to follow a policy
maintained by our Government
for 150 years.
“There are sufficient Ameri
can forces in China to protect,
and if necessary to evacuate,
American citizens.”
The administration should use
utmost vigilance to avoid any
action which might embroil the
United States in conflict with
Japan or China, Senator Capper
(R) of Kansas, another member
of the Foreign Relations Commit
tee.
WINNERS
of the
Want Ad
Slogan Contest
Will Be Announced
TOMORROW
In The
Want Ad Pages
PEOPLE
Who Interest
You and
What They
Are Doing
Darrow Book Reveals
His Radical Legal Views
NEW YORK, Feb. 6.—ls Clar
ence Darrow possessed the
power, he would abolish the
Wy J
- j
MR. HARROW
of My Life,” published today.
He declares that the only
proper treatment for criminals
is medical and scientific ex
amination to determine whether
they should be turned loose
as normal, or restrained until
they are normal.
Mayor Coxey Receives
Thousands of Letters
MASSILLON, Ohio, Feb. 6
<1 NS.).—From all parts of the
United States and even from
Soviet Russia,
letters are
flooding the
office of
“General”
Jacob S.
Coxey, vet
eran leader
of two un
empl o y e d
marches to
W a shington,
since he be
came Massil
lon’s mayor.
Praise is in
t e r m i ngled
with criticism
*
■>-a
in the hundreds of communica
tions which pour in from per
sons who have read of Coxey’s
first political triumph.
Some of the letters request
information about his “money
at-cost” plan, for which he has
unceasingly worked for 38 years
and upon which platform he
was elected mayor.
Son Says Edison Got Aid
On Questionnaires
MILWAUKEE, Wis., Feb. 6
(I.N.S.).—Many of the famous
questionnaires
of the late
Thomas A.
Edison were
suggested to
the inventor
by others,
according to
his son,
Char les A.
Edison, who
was interview
ed during a
visit here.
| Edison did
| not claim to
• know every
i thing, his son
asserted.
“posers" in the <
C. A. EDISON
The first of the famous ques
tionnaires was the sole work
of Edisdn, the son said, and
called it “a stiff one,” but sub
sequent question lists were made
up with the assistance of
others, he added.
Many of the stories told
about the great inventor were
myths, the present head of the
Edison industries declared.
forfeitscoUlateral
Levy Green, of Meadows, Md..
forfeited $6.54 on a charge of
driving past a boulevard stop
sign in police court at Upper
Marlboro, Md., yesterday.
electric chair,
d e s t r oy all
prisons, toss
all dis trict
attorneys and
o t h er prose
cutors out of
office and
take all crim-
Inal author
ity from the
courts.
The radical
lawyer re
veals this at
titude toward
the law in
“The Story