CHINA’S POSITION.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1924, Page 3

CHINA’S POSITION.

'• CHoil ALI AN AND N.Z. CABLE ABBOOIATION. CHINESE KKillTlNti. (Received tliis day at 11.20 a.m.) • PEKIN, September 20. Two important victories are nminunceil in a conHnuni(|Ue issued I y ( hang Tsolin, the capture of Clma.vang north railway and town d Kim how in C hihli, with the .less of ,ix hundred killed, foil hundred f ris-ine ;. s x nuns eight machine guns and a. thousand rilles. The victorious Mam litis an* advancing towards Litryiian. A.n uncfliiial, tnistwirlhy re; m l states Chang’s f.irces have taken Kailu. Chihli tro:/|)s siilfering heavily. ’I lie lelal .Mukden fortes number one hundred and ninety thousand, well equipped and well paid. Koreign critics say the field organisation surpasses the .stall’. If the latter proves equal to the task ( bang, with initial victories to his credit, should overcome anything Wiipeifn can put into the lit Id. ’I here are already many desertions from Chihli army. It is reported to he doubtful whether Cluing is able to cope with I’eking in bribing generals, wkiili is nsunllv a feature of hi'lion;'! wei., in (Idea. Chang is confident. anil says he hopes to entertain in taking Rekin shortly, lie is credited with having n force of fifty aerop.laiies ami many skilled foreign | ilots, which have I ecu ordered to lamb the Presidential palace.

A I.KCiATfON' \VAI!.\I.\C. AC A INST ALL ATTACKS. [Reuters Tei.eorams.] (Received this iluy at 1 I .i?-j a.in.) i’EKINC, Sen. 2J. Alter meeting a diplomatic lindv (not including Kira Khan) the Billowing memorandum was sent to Wai Cliin<>|>u and Chang Tso Lin iliis afternoon by Oudendijk :--“The outbreak of hostilities in China makes it a problem that louiuunidors ol the various military forces will make extensive use ol aircraft in the conduct of campaigns. Heads of Legations at Peking, although resolved not to inlerelere in any way in this regrettable eonMiet, nevertheless deem it necessary to point out to Your Excellency that they view with the greatest concern the use <>f this weaoon against other objectives than military lories and implied lorlitied places, or naval units. Thu droppine of hombs from aeroplanes oil tin defended towns is not only an act ol wanton destruction hut a crime against a peaceful population. In the city ol Peking not only are situated legations of friendly powers, hut its walls enclose numerous palaces, temples and other historical buildings, which are rightly considered monumcliis of great value in the history of civilisation and mankind. The drooping of bombs from aeroplanes on the towns and ullages can have no possible military value, but only cause untold misery and suite ring to numbers of inoffensive inhabitants, and cause destruction of - priceless monuments, and moremei the lives and properly of foreign nationals who are taking mi part whatever in the actual cnidlict. I-or these reasons the heads of Legations (eel it their dutv to make Cds appeal to Your Excellency, ami, whilst giving expression to their satisfaction that the intention was made known to afford full protection of lives and properties of foreigners, they trust that no air attacks will he made endangering the lives of their nationals. Should, however, foreign lives he lost or prop"V 4 erly destroyed, as a result of an attack hy aeroplanes on the capital or anv treaty port, they, would feel obliged'ln hold strictly responsible the authorities who ordered the attack.