CHINA INVASION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22981, 8 March 1938, Page 11

CHINA INVASION

ADVANCE CONTINUES JAPANESE CAMPAIGN BIVER CRAFT DESTROYED CHINESE PUT TO FLIGHT By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright SHANGHAI, March 6 , After battling through snowstorms and mountain passes, the Japanese have reached Hoku, six miles from the Yellow River. Most of the defenders have fled. Japanese shells destroyed 150 Chinese river craft at Loyang, while bombing aeroplanes raided Chenchow and other centres. UNPRECEDENTED UNITY ALL PARTIES IN CHINA SPIRIT NOT TO BE BROKEN NEW ZEALANDER'S VIEWS [from OCR OWN correspondent] LONDON, Feb. 16 For the past week a confidential adviser of Marshal and Madame Chiang Kai-shek has been in London. He is Mr. W. G. Shepherd, a New Zealander. In a special interview to-day he gave an account of what, from his intimate knowledge of affairs at Chinese headquarters, he considers to be some of the chief factors in the present situation. "Chiang Kai-shek is the greatest man in China and has the confidence' of the entire population because of the definite interest he has shown in the past four years in improving the livelihood of the masses," Mr. Shepherd said. "Out of this work of reconstruction has come a unity such as China has never before known. The pressure from Japan has resulted only in drawing the Chinese people closer in opposition to aggression and in their determination to build an independent, prosperous China. " As a result of the unity of all the political parties in China," said Mr. Shepherd, "it will be impossible for Japan to break the spirit of the Chinese people, even though she succeeds in conquering their territory from Peking to Canton. " Japan's real problem at the moment seems to be that the capable Chinese in public life have all left Japanese-occupied territory and now reside in the western provinces and will die rather than co-operate with the invaders. As the Japanese armies drive into China they find nothing but ashes, empty fields and antagonism on the part of the people who are left. " I find that public opinion throughout the English-speaking world is so strongly opposed to Japanese aggression that it will be extremely difficult for . financial interests to work out any satisfactory plan of making loans to Japan for the reconstruction of the territory she has conquered. In the long run this may be the deciding factor in the. war. Undoubtedly, Japan must have financial co-operation if she is to rehabilitate China and find a market for industrial products." Brought up in Dunedin, Mr. Shepherd, at the age of 20, went to study in the United States. For the past 18 years he has been in China as an emissary of the American Board of Commissioners and Foreign Missions. He revisited New Zealand in 1927 and 1929. In recent years he has been confidential counsellor to Marshal Chiang Kaishek and his wife on behalf of the Board of Commissioners in connection with tjhe New Life Movement. He is described by the Times as a "friend and intimate adviser" to the Chinese leader. PROTEST TO JAPANESE WOMAN STRUCK BY SENTRY SHANGHAI, March 0 » The United States Consul-General has protested to the Japanese about a sentry striking on the side of the head, without provocation, an American woman, Miss Grace Brady, outside the British-manned section of the International Settlement. Miss Brady is a teacher at the Episcopalian School for Chinese Girls. MAIL CENSORSHIP SHANGHAI DESPATCHES SHANGHAI, March 6 There is every indication that the Japanese are instituting a censorship of all mails. Japanese censors have been observed in the main post office for a week. A spokesman affirms Japan's right of censorship over all Chinese foreign mails. FLIGHT OVER TOKIO CHINESE SCOUT'S FEAT HANKOW, March 1 Elated by their success in the Taihoku (Formosa) air raid, in which they claim to have set fire to 40 Japanese aeroplanes, Chinese airmen are planning to strike at Japan proper. A solitary Chinese scout flew without being seen over Tokio in order to report on the possibility of bombing military establishments there.