JAPANESE TAKE AMOY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22400, 13 May 1938, Page 11

JAPANESE TAKE AMOY

♦ Chinese Retreat To Mainland ALL FOREIGNERS SAFE New Offensive Begun At Lunghai (T7EITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPVEIOBTJ (Received May 12, 11.30 p.m.) SHANGHAI, May 12. It is reliably reported that the Japanese have captured the whole of Amoy Island, including the treaty port where fighting raged throughout the day, The Chinese forces have retreated to the' mainland. All foreigners are reported to be safe. Refugees are pouring in td the foreign concession at Kulagnsu, where 18C Britons and 36 Americans are safe. The Associated Press states that the Japanese attack on Amoy is not at present regarded with alarm by British Government quarters. However, the British Ambassador in Tokyo (Sir Robert Craigie) is closely watching developments. The Japanese may be staging the Amoy affair for home consumption, coupled with a test of Chinese strength, but so far it is not regarded as a curtain-raiser to a calculated attack on foreign interests. Three Motives Suggested The Tokyo correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says three possible motives are suggested for the attack on Amoy—strategic, economic, and psychological. _ If the motive is strategic it is believed it will foreshadow operations in the Canton area. If economic, it is the prosperous customs revenue that attracts attention and the occupation of Swatow and Foochow may be expected to follow shortly. If the motive is psychological, the attack is to cheer up and encourage the Japanese public in view of the failure to record a spectacular victory on the Hschow front. Possibly all three motives played a part in the navy’s action. The Hong Kong correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says that all South China is now waiting tensely for Japan’s next move. The main concern in Hong Kong is the security of Canton, although all preparations ’to meet a Japanese attack have long been completed there. The Japanese have begun a powerful pincer movement toward Lunghai southwards from Tsining, with the object of cutting the railway between Kweiteh and Hsuchow. According to the Domei News Agency the battle for Lunghai promises to be the greatest since the Japanese defeated the Russians at Mukden in February-March, 1905. The Japanese hope to entrap 400,000 Chinese. Six new Japanese divisions are due in Shantung, where presently 1,000,000 Chinese will face 500,000 Japanese. The Chinese admit Japanese progress north and south of the Tien-tsin-Pukow railway.

PRIEST AND NUNS MURDERED

JAPANESE RAID ON MISSION STATION (Received May 12, 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 11. The “News-Chronicle” says the Japanese during their fourth raid *m the Changlo Mission in Shantung, murdered a French missionary priest, Father Frederick Fourre, three Chinese nuns, two novices, and a Chinese Christian and also a servant. BAN ON JAPANESE IN CANADA PROPOSAL TALKED OUT BY HOUSE full support for china URGED (Received May 12, 8.30 p.m.) OTTAWA, May 11. In the House of Commons, Mr A. W. Neill (Independent, British Columbia) moved a resolution urging the exclusion of Japanese from Canada. „ , He alleged that the Government attitude to the Orient was cowardly. He predicted the downfall of the Japanese and the triumph of the new China, which was a potential customer for millions of dollars worth of Canadian goods. The wisest policy, he said, would be to extend full war support to China. The bill was talked out.