FLIGHT TO JAPAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23044, 23 May 1938, Page 9

FLIGHT TO JAPAN

CHINESE WAEPLANES airmen drop pamphlets APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE ENMITY DISAVOWED By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright LONDON, May 20 For the first time in history Chinese warplanes crossed the China Sea in defiance of fire from warships, says a message from Hankow. The occupants dropped leaflets at Osaka and at the naval bases of Sasebo and Nagasaki. These assured the Japanese people that China had no enmity toward them and appealed to them to rise against the military invasion of China.

"We have you at our mercy. China is strong and undefeated," said the pamphlets. The flight covered 1000 miles and occupied Hi hours. The commander of the flight, which comprised 27 machines, was Pilot Hsu Shun-shan, who said that Japanese warships futilely fired at the aeroplanes. WTien the airmen reached Japan they circled the south-west of the island and dropped pamphlets. They did not encounter anti-aircraft fire or pursuit aeroplanes although the citiee were "blacked-out."

All official announcement from Tokio, while accusing the Chinese of exaggerating their successes, emphasises that premature optimism is unjustifiable and says the hostilities must be energetically pressed. The Chinese have captured Kinsian and checked the Japanese drive on Kweiteh, says a message from Shanghai.

MORE LEAFLETS AIRMAN OYER KUMAMOTO A DEMENTED JAPANESE TWENTY-EIGHT PEOPLE KILLED (Received May 22, 6.25 p.m.) TOKIO, May 21 The vernacular press reports a further dropping of anti-war leaflets at Kumamoto from a Chinese aeroplane. A demented Japanese, armed with a rifle, ran amok at Okayama, killed 28 people and wounded two, then fled pursued by policemen and firemen to the mountains where he committed suicide.

HSUCHOW EVACUATED CHINESE MAIN BODY 30 DIVISIONS IN RETREAT (Received May 22, 6.25 p.m.) HA>"KOW, May 21 The main body of the Chinese forces has evacuated Hsuchow. The Japanese claim to have eaptured 1500 railway carriages and 30 engines at Hsuchow. They begun "mopping up" 30 Chinese di\isions which are retreating. The British, French and American Consuls have made representations to Japan with a view to the reopening of navigation on the Yangtse River.