WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS ASKED

Southland Times, Issue 23297, 6 September 1937, Page 5

WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS ASKED

Joint Note From Consuls

NON-COMPLIANCE BY COMBATANTS

JAPANESE ATTACK CONTINUED (United Press Assn. —Telegraph Copyright) (Received September 5, 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 4. Further severe Japanese air bombing at Chapei and huge fires at Hongkew are the chief incidents in this morning s news from Shanghai. Several bombs fell in the International- Settlement, one considerably damaging the Shanghai Racing Club’s premises, thus violating the earlier agreement. The Japanese allege that bomb carriers would not traverse the settlement. Other oombs were dropped close to the Ulster Rifles headquarters, for which Japan apologized, also the headquarters of the American Marines.

The British, French and United States consuls and the naval authorities held a conclave, but the decisions were not revealed.

, It is understood that Admiral Hasegawa has since been invited to visit the American flagship. It is disclosed from Tokyo that the destroyer flotilla bombarded Amoy and put the Forts aerodrome out of action.

The admirals’ and consuls’ joint Note requested the Chinese to withdraw troops one mile inland from Pootung and asked the Japanese to move the warships a mile downstream. The Chinese referred the request to Nanking. Meanwhile the Mayor of Shanghai points out that withdrawal is impossible unless Japanese warships evacuate the foreign areas which they are using as a military base and also bombarding the Chinese from their anchorages adjacent to warships belonging to Britain, America and France, which, he claims, should force the Japanese to depart. _ The Japanese spokeman is similarly non-compliant, emphasizing that Japan is merely using its own area to defend Japanese lives and property. The only solution is to drive all the armed Chinese from Shanghai. A Japanese battalion with tanks and guns, the first actually to land in the International Settlement, disembarked during the forenoon, apparently with the object of cutting a wedge in the Chinese line. Fighting at present has subsided. The Chinese report that the Japanese Navy cut all cable communications from China westward while Japanese bombers in the last few days destroyed the Tungchi University at Woosung. The Chinese assert that their counter-attacks pierced the Japanese lines at five points and prevented the Japanese at Woosung from effecting a junction with those at Lotien. . They also forced the Japanese to retire to the coast while Japanese attacks failed to penetrate the Chinese lines on the Chapei and Yangtze-poo sectors. A Tokyo message states that a conference under the auspices of the Black Dragon Society inaugurated a campaign to strengthen the Germano-Japanese antiCommunist pact. The new British Ambassador, bir Robert Craigie, has arrived at Tokyo, but when interviewed he refused to answer questions regarding the British attitude toward China. He said he would do everything in his power to implement the British desire for good relations with Japan.

CHINESE SUCCESS

CLAIMED

modern equipment of INVADERS

(Received September 4, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, September 3. Although the Chinese are reported to have overwhelmed 60,000 Japanese troops on the Shanghai front, rolling their line back along 15 miles of a 25 miles front, the Shanghai correspondent of The Daily Herald states that the Japanese armies are equipped with the most modern arms and are marching robot-like across the desert and through mountain passes today astride inner Mongolia. Thereby they attained a major strategic success as they cut an overland route whereby Russia might have reinforced China, while Japan can now mass forces on the flank of Russia’s military ally. The Rev. H. Smith, an American missionary, has arrived at Shanghai from Changshu. He asserts that more than 3000 inhabitants of Changshu are dead as a result of the Japanese raids on August 23 and September 1. The majority of the 100,000 population has now fled. . The Chinese claim that they have further delayed the Japanese offensive from Woosung as a result of an all-day artillery duel. The Chinese from Pootung are shelling five Japanese transports unloading troops and munitions at the eastern end of the foreign settlement Eventually they forced the Japanese, after 200 casualties, to move down-stream. The Japanese warship Idzumo, four destroyers and a transport with war planes flying overhead replied and the Chinese retaliated. The warships were not hit although columns of water were thrown up in very close proximity. The Japanese shelling failed to silence the Chinese machine-gun nests on the shore which continued sweeping the landing stages. Continuous firing gave Shanghai a day which is not likely to be forgotten and the roar of the bombardment shook buildings like an earthquake. Numerous buildings were struck resulting in others being hastily sand-bagged. Many blazed all day and were completely burnt out. There were 38 casualties including two British volunteers stationed at the Race Club. A member of the Ulster Rifles was wounded by a sniper. Japanese reconnoitring planes, dropping flares over Chapei to enable them to watch the Chinese movements, were heavily peppered by Chinese “archies?’ . The artillery battle at Shanghai has dislocated the Japanese plans for an offensive from the Woosung peninsula. Scores of junks set on fire off Pootung are drifting down the river in flames. Chinese spectators on the Bund cheer and clap as Chinese shells explode close to the Idzumo. AID FROM CHINESE IN CANADA WAR FUND OF 250,000 DOLLARS VANCOUVER, September 3. Ten thousand British Columbia Chinese workers have pledged a week’s pay each month to raise a 250,000 dollar war fund.