CHINESE SUCCESS AT CANTON

Southland Times, Issue 23390, 23 December 1937, Page 5

CHINESE SUCCESS AT CANTON

FAILURE OF JAPANESE ATTEMPT TO LAND

BIG OFFENSIVE IN SOUTH CHINA EXPECTED

(United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received December 22, 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, December 22.

One thousand highly trained and well-equipped troops of the Cantonese Army are marching to meet the Japanese forces which are believed to be about to land at Bias Bay, says the Hong Kong correspondent of The Daily Telegraph. The Canton correspondent of The News Chronicle says that Chinese antipiracy guards repulsed a preliminary landing by 800 Japanese, marines at Bias Bay on Monday. Guards held off the assailants pending reinforcements, and when these arrived the guards went over the top of newly-dug trenches and drove the Japanese back to their boats. There were heavy casulties on both sides.

An earlier message stated that five Japanese transports, carrying 11,000 troops departed at night, it is believed for South China. It was reported in British military circles that transports had landed 6000 Japanese troops at Bias Bay, but reliable reports from Hong Kong stated that no landing had been attempted. Over 300 foreign refugees, many of them women and children including 120 Britons, 110 Americans and Germans, Frenchmen, Italians and Russians, have 1 booked seats on the international “Christmas express,” which will leave Wichang on December 23 on the journey of 600 miles to Hong Kong. The train will be profusely decorated with national flags to enable visibility from the air. The Japanese have been asked to give the train a safe conduct. A Japanese Army spokesman claimed that the Japanese have occupied Husuhsien, 40 miles north of Pukow. Marshal Chiang Kai-shek, in a series of drastic regulations, has ordered the execution of Chinese Government officials found dancing in cabarets and severe punishment for gambling and frequenting the company of sing-song girls. The Peiping correspondent of The Times says that from a military viewpoint the Japanese accomplishments are less conclusive in North China than in the Shanghai and Nanking areas. The Japanese are definitely on the defensive in Western Hopei and Shansi, where they have lost territory because of guerrille warfare against which it is difficult to protect the long Japanese communications.'

The Japanese hold the TientsinPukow railway to the Yellow river comfortably, but control of the PeipingHankow railway is precarious. West of the railway communist troops, who have established a government at Mutaishan, occupy the country to Tangshan, only 20 miles southwest of Peiping, which is the Japanese base.

JAPAN’S REPORT NOT PUBLISHED YET QUESTION OF HASHIMOTO’S IDENTITY SHANGHAI, December 21. The Japanese spokesman at Shanghai (Major-General Harada) has again postponed publication of his findings about the attack on H.M.S. Ladybird, which was promised today, saying he had been instructed from Tokyo to suspend making any announcement pending the conclusion of Anglo-Jap-anese negotiations.

Meanwhile Major-General Harada retracted his statement that the Panay was shelled by a Japanese Army boat, which was based on the supposition that the Japanese heard shells exploding. Major-General Harada said it had been definitely established that Colonel Hashimoto was not ordered to fire on all vessels in the Yangtze Kiang, adding that when Colonel Hashimoto handed his instructions to the commander of the Ladybird he omitted to mention “enemy” ships. Major-General Harada declined to reply to a question whether Colonel Hashimoto is the Hashimoto involved in the Tokyo military coup on February 26, 1936, when a number of Ministers were killed or wounded.

It is authoritatively stated that Japan will reply to the British and American Notes within a day or two.

Colonel Hashimoto, one of those primarily concerned in the mutiny at Tokyo in February 1936, and who personally ordered the firing on the Panay, is reported to be using his political strength to evade punishment for hIS act.

Oh February 25, 1936, several thousand Japanese troops at the Tokyo garrison, stirred to rebellion by the anti-fascist victory in the parliament elections (February 20), marched out to seize the Government. The main body surrounded Mr Kelsuke Okada’s (the Prime Minister) residence and police headquarters. A group slew Viscount Makoto Saito, his predecessor and Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, and General Jotaro Watanabe, Inspector-General of Military Education, both regarded as belonging to the Liberal group. The Minister of Finance (Mr Takahashi) was also murdered. The Emperor called both loyal troops and the home fleet, and martial law was declared. The assassins shot Colonel Denzo Matsuo in mistake for his brother-in-law, Mr Okada, who was in hiding. On February 29 the rebels surrendered to major force. Twenty of their leaders were dismissed, and Captain Teruzo Ando committed hara-kiri. BRITISH SYMPATHY WITH AMERICANS (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, December 21. Replying to a message of appreciation by the United States over the assistance given by British warships on the occasion of the sinking of the Panay, the British Charge d’Affaires in China (Mr R. G. Howe) sent a message to the United States Ambassador to China (Mr Nelson T. Johnson) expressing thanks for the message and sympathy in the tragic occurrence, and also warm admiration of the fine qualities displayed by the public servants and private citizens of the United States at a time of great danger.