JAPANESE IN CHINA

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 189, 12 May 1928, Page 9

JAPANESE IN CHINA

HEAVILY DEFEAT SOUTHERNERS

IN CLASH WITH MAIN FORCE

TSINAN-FU BOMBARDED

A Japanese mixed brigade, en route to Tsinan-fu, clashed with the main force of Southerners, who were heavily defeated. A foreign eye-witness describes recent happenings in Tsinan-fu and shocking outrages on Japanese.

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Australian Press Association.)

Shanghai, May 10.

Dispatches from Tsinan-fu in the morning state that General Toyama’s mixed brigade from Dairen en route for Tsinan-fu clashed with the main force of Southerners, near Kuotien. The latter were heavily defeated. The Japanese casualties were slight. The Southerners retreated. Fighting is being continued. Street fighting was resumed in Tsinan-fu following attempts to disarm the Southerners remaining in the city. The Japanese bombarded the walled section of Tsinan-fu, the native quarter, occupied by a few thousand Southerners who refused to disarm. Later, the Japanese withheld their fire, not desiring to harm innocent civilians, and sent aeroplanes to scatter handbills inside the walls, advising the surrender of the troops. These responded to an appeal by citizens and are now disarming. Following the arrival of reinforcements the Japanese troops are occupying strategic positions throughout Tsinan-fu and gradually securing control of the situation. Seventeen vessels, ranging from 1500 to 8000 tons, were chartered to transport the Nagoya Division to Shantung. It is reported that orders have been given the Northerners to suspend hostilities pending a settlement of the Tsinan-fu affair. Meanwhile, the student element is clamouring for the Nationalist Government to declare war on Japan and endeavouring to stir up the populace by acts of violence. Consequently the local Japanese commander has been advised by the Chinese authorities, in order to protect Japanese nationals In event of trouble, not to hesitate to dispatch troops outside the international settlement and occupy strategic positions, as the British did last year. EYE-WITNESS’S STORY OF RECENT HAPPENINGS AT TSINAN-FU -OUTRAGES ON JAPANESE

(United Service.) (Rec. May 11, 8.30 p.m.)

Shanghai, May 11

A foreign eye-witness's story of the happenings at Tsinan-fu shows that Chang Chung Chang evacuated the town on the night of May 1, the Northern troops behaving in an orderly manner, there being no looting or disturbances. They were able‘to evacuate all the stores and munitions, save an armoured car, which was bringing up the rear. This was captured on the banks of the Yellow River. The Russian crew 'was led through the streets of Tsinan tied together with a stout cord passed through their noses by Southerners during the entry of the city.

On May 2, believing Chiang KaiShek’s assurance that he was able to force removed the barricades of sandbags, providing a convenient passage maintain order, a small Japanese through the commercial area for the Southern troops and also tending to relieve the tension, which was considerable..

On May 3 shooting was commenced, allegedly due to the refusal of Japanese shops to accept depreciated bank notes tendered by Southern soldiers in payment of purchases. Soldiers armed with Mills bombs and in the other hand grenades immediately commenced looting, whereupon Japanese troops intervened. There were only five hundred Japanese soldiers in Tsinan at this time, facing Southern forces variously estimated at twenty to twenty-five thousand. The Japanese were insufficient to afford protection to the nationals in the outlying districts, who were seized by Chinese and murdered at a post with torture, which in one case involved the tearing out of the victim’s eyes and replacing them with stones. Japanese women were stripped and paraded through the streets nude, ravished and then killed. The only foreign property looted was a German-owned hotel. The ; ibsequent rushing up of reinforcements enabled the Japanese to dictate the withdrawal of Chinese from the commercial area of Tsinan. Refusal fully to comply with this requirement led to the subsequent fighting cabled. The informant reports that nonforeign Japanese apparently were not molested. INTERVENTION SOUGHT OBJECTION TO JAPANESE TROOPS DR. WU GOING TO PARIS AND WASHINGTON

(Australian Press Assn. —United Service.)

Shanghai, May 10.

Huang Fu. the Nationalist Minister of Foreign Affairs, interviewed by the Australian Press Association,' stated that Dr. Wu had been ordered to proceed to Paris and Washington immediately to request American intervention in Shantung to prevent the further trampling down of China’s sovereign rights by the Japanese landing Japanese troops on Chinese soil outside the concessions, which was an unpardonable breach of the terms of the Washington Conference. The Chinese were prepared to resist to the utmost, in the event of the failure of friendly nations to mediate. It was realised that there were two sides to the question, and there was still time to settle it without further bloodshed.

The Minister further stated tJjA.t Jn

the event of the Japanese extending their military activities outside the Shanghai settlement, they would not be resisted by the Nationalists, but the act would be taken as additional evidence of Japanese aggression to be reckoned in the final account. The Nationalists would not lie responsible for possible native reaction and warned other nationalities of the possibility of the anti-Japanese feeling among the Chinese masses turning against the foreigner in event of a tardy settlement of the dispute. There were already indications of the temper of Shanghai and other centres in this direction. “I appeal to all friendly nations to stand by Nationalist China, in the present crisis,” he said, “which was not sought nor prompted by us.” Chinese reports of a truce have reached the South and North.