RUTHLESS ACT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 195, 31 May 1938, Page 5

RUTHLESS ACT

CANTON AGAIN BOMBED. DEATH-ROLL NOW 1300. HORRORS ON THE WATERFRONT. (United Press Association—Copyright.) CANTON, May 30. In the third successive daily air raid on Canton, 20 aeroplanes dropped 40 bombs, mainly on Government offices, but adjacent dwellings again suffered. A continuous anti-aircraft barrage endangered the foreign settlement at Shameen, which the raiders had hitherto avoided. Steamers bound for Hong-Kong had to sail early to escape the swarms of refugees pressing to the quaysides. The British United Press estimates that 300 were killed to-day, making the total for the three days 1300. The British gunboats Cicada and® Seahen are on their way to Canton from Hong-Kong to join the Moth and Tarantula.

Weeping women continuously searched for relatives among the smouldering debris. The devastation included many of the flimsy, poorer houses, which burned like tinder, and also eight mansions of wealthy Chinese in the Tiingshan district.

The worst horrors were on the riverfront, where thousands, terror-stricken, huddled in their wrecked homes or on river boats.

A Hong-Kong message states that the 750,000 refugees already in the city were swelled at the week-end by 9000 from Canton and many from Amoy. The total will soon reach 1,000,000.

The problem of caring for them is most difficult because of the lack of accommodation, and anxiety lest smallpox or cholera should break out. Inoculation is being hurriedly carried out. The authorities are considering closing the frontier.

CHINESE CLAIM RECAPTURES.

RAILWAY LINE NOW SAFE

(Received This Day, 1.10 p.m.) SHANGHAI, May 29.

In addition to Langfeng the Chinese claim they have recaptured Menghsjen, Tsinyang and Winhsien aind other strategic points' on the north bank of the Yellow River, which removes the danger of the Japanese cutting the Lunghai railway west of Changchow. SUCCESS BY THE CHINESE. STR ATEGIC POINT RE-ENTERED. (Received This Day, 12.45 p.m.) HANKOW, May 30. Despite the. stubborn resistance of General Doihara’s depleted divisions after losing 4000 killed since crossing into East Honan, the Chinese reentered Saiiyitsai, a strategic point north-east of Langfeng. Heavy fighting continues, as a result of which the Chinese removed the threat to Tungkwan, besides recapturing Yungchi and Yumenkow. WAR ’PLANES OVER ISLAND. BELIEVED TO BE CHINESE. (Received This Dav, 12.45 p.m.) TOKIO, May 30. Two war ’planes, believed to be Chinese, flew over the Japanese island of Kyushu. FRENCH AID FOR RAILWAY. ROUTE FOR WESTERN MUNITIONS (Received This Dav, 9.20 a.m.) TOKIO, May'3o. A stir lias been caused by news that a group of French banks is backing the construction of a railway within six months, to connect Haipong, 'in IndoChina, with Nanning, in Kwangsi, which, next to Hong-Kong, is China’s best route for importing munitions from Europe.

BRITISH MISSIONARIES’ APPEAL. GOVERNMENT PROTEST URGED. (Received This Day, 9.25 a.m.) CANTON, May 30. It is officially stated that 200 were killed and 300 wounded in the raid to-day. British missionaries in Canton cabled an appeal to the Archbishop of Canterbury to draw public attention to the bombing of Chinese civilians. They urge the British Government to protest to Japan. American residents similarly cabled to the Secretary of State (Mr Cordell Hull). JAPANESE CLAIM ENTRY. LONDON. May 29. A Shanghai message says that the Japanese claim to have outflanked the Chinese at ChengcTow and forced an entry into Polisien, 40 miles south of

Kweiteh, whence the Japanese are hastening to relieve General K. Doihara’s army, against which Marshal Chiang Kai-shek is directing an offensive from Chengchow..

JAPANESE WAR MINISTRY. TOKTO, May 80. As part of the Cabinet reconstruction, Lieutenant-General Eiki Tojo, Chief of Staff of the Kwantung Army, has been appointed Vice-Minister for War. KELLOGG-BRIAND PACT. COMMENT BY JAPANESE. TOKIO, May 29. Referring to Mr Cordell Hull’s reminder to European Governments of their obligation under the KelloggBriand Pact to outlaw war, the Foreign Office spokesman (Mr Tatsuo Kawai) declared in an interview that Mr Hull was an admirable idealist, but the world-wide situation since the pact was signed was sufficient commentary on its value.