BATTLE AGAINST FLOODS

Evening Star, Issue 22988, 20 June 1938, Page 9

BATTLE AGAINST FLOODS

JAPANESE TROOPS POWERLESS EFFORTS TO PLUG BREACHES FAIL YANGTSE APPROACHING RECORD LEVEL Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, June 19. The Shanghai correspondent of the British United Press says that the Japanese admit that their army is powerless against the floods, which are sweeping the battlefield. Efforts to plug the breaches in the , banks failed. The water has risen 4ft in two days. In addition to the flood, a barrier of Chinese guerrilla forces in Shansi Mountains is preventing the Japanese push westerly, which threatens the lifeline along which supplies from Russia are received. The puppet Government at Peking issued a manifesto condemning General Chiang Kai-shek for cutting the dykes, which had served no purpose but the destruction of a Chinese State and the impoverishment of the people. The manifesto urges him to concede defeat and to sue for peace. THE ADVANCE TO HANKOW. A report from Tokio states that the Japanese are approaching Hankow along the Yangtse, and have reached the edge of the Tapiesban mountain range, the city’s natural defence barrier. The Chinese Spokesman for the Yellow River Conservancy Board, in a statement issued from Hankow, expressed fears that the floods will inundate North-east Honan, North Kiangsu. and North Anhwei. He also pointed out the possibility that the Hwau River and tl\p Yangtse would break their banks as a result of the influx from the Yellow River.

The Yangtse, owing to the continued rainfall, is approaching a record level, and the authorities are strengthening the dykes in the neighbourhood of Hankow. TWO THOUSAND VILLAGES SUBMERGED LIVES OF 100,000 IN DANGER. SHANGHAI, June 19. (Received June 20, at 11 a.m.) The flooded area is now 1,000 square miles. Two thousand villages are totally and 1,500 partly submerged. Out of 700,000 people threatened it is feared that 100,000 are beyond rescue. Many of those marooned have only bark and roots for food. INTERPRETED AS A WARNING BOMBING OF HAINAN ISLAND. TOKIO, June 19. The Domei News Agency interprets the Japanese bombing of Hainan Island, near French Indo-China, as a warning to France against further assistance to the Chinese. [A message published last week stated: In spite of a French denial of the existence of a secret arms agreement between China and France, the newspaper ‘ Kukomin Shimbun ’ asserts that France, whose attitude it describes as outrageous, is materially helping China. French airmen and military advisers, the paper alleges, are replacing the returning Americans and Germans. Arms and ammunition are arriving through French Indo-China, which, when Marshal Chiang Kai-shek’s administration moves to Yunan. will be involved in the maejstrom of the SinoJapancse .hostilities.]

FRONTIER CLASH REPORTED RUSSIANS AND JAPANESE. TOKIO, June 19. It is admitted that 200,000 Chinese have invaded the Shansi province, which the Japanese claimed to dominate. The Japanese accuse the Chinese of using poison gas. The Domei News Agency reports an armed clash between Russians and Japanese on the Manchukuo frontier. Shots were exchanged. GUNMEN IN RESTAURANT TWO PEOPLE KILLED. LONDON, June 19. (Received June 20, at 1 p.m.) The Shanghai correspondent of 1 The Times ’ says three gunmen strolled through a crowded restaurant in Foochow road last night and fired into a private dining room where provincial Government members wore holding a party and killed Commissioner Jenpaoan and a singsong girl, dangerously wounded another official, and seriously wounded four others. Six of the eight Japanese among the 20 guests left before the attack. The assailants escaped during the panic. BOMBING OF. CANTON PROTEST MEETINGS IN LONDON. LONDON, June 19. (Received June 20, at 11 a.m.) As the culmination to a week’s meetings of the China Campaign Committee 2,000 people marched from Trafalgar Square to the Japanese embassy. The police cordon allowed the deputation to hand to a manservant a resolution protesting against the bombardment of Canton and urging an embargo on petrol to Japan and a boycott of Japanese goods.

JAPANESE WARSHIPS BOMBED DARING CHINESE RAID. HANKOW, June 19. (Received June 20, at 11.5 a.m.) Chinese aeroplanes daringly attacked a concentration of 50 Japanese warships, probably mostly gunboats, and elain to have sunk four and damaged one near Anking. Twelve Japanese pursuit planes engaged the raiders, whoso superior speed enabled them to escaped scatheless.