CHINESE TROUBLE

Hokitika Guardian, 7 May 1928, Page 2

CHINESE TROUBLE

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

JAPANESE INTERVENTION SHANGHAI, Afay

The situation in Tsinanfu. the Shantung capital, is hourly becoming more dangerous and more critical. tentative agreement was made between the Chinese and the Japanese regarding the area then controlled by the Japanese. This has been broken, and further street fighting lias occurred with additional casualties on both sides. SHANGHAI. Afay 1.

The Comniander-in-Cbief of the Nationalist Armies, Alnrslml Cliiang Kai Slide, has proclaimed Afartial, Law in Tsinanfu. TOKTO. Alav L ALnichiirian troops' numbering twenty-three hundred infantry and artillery, are leaving for Dairen and Port Arthur. They will sail on Saturday. bringing Japanese forces, exclusive of tlie Navy to SSOO. Japanese residents in Nanking, including some of the Consular staff, are taking refuge on a Japanese steamer, hour destroyers sailed from Alaiz.ru lor Tsingtao to-day. .SHANGHAI. Alny 1. In addition to a mixed brigade of Japanese troops from Dairen, an Air Fleet from Korea and Railway Unit from .Japan, totalling three hundred men. have been ordered to Tsintao. SHANGHAI, Ala.v 5. The Tsingtao-Tsinnnfu railway has again been cut. There are Japanese reinforcements proceeding by forced marches. SHANGHAI, Ala.v 5. Additional .Japanese forces, both naval and military have been ordered to proceed from Japan to Tsingtao. The British aircraft-carrier Hermes has also been ordered to go from liong Kong to Chcfoo.

CHINESE SNIPING REPORTED SHANGHAI, Ala.v I.

Reports from Tsinanfu stated that some Southern (Nationalist) soldiers, hidden upstairs in houses and shops, sniped at Japanese residents and troops passing, and that suppression of this was difficult. It is also stated that Japanese residents are arming themselves with rides taken from disarmed Southern soldiers.

AVAR PREPARATIONS. SHANGHAI. May L At Tsinanfu the position of ihe Japanese is extremely critical. Communications with Jsinglao from Tsinanfu have been severed. The Japanese are outnumbered nine to one. Though real warfare, :1s yet. has not commenced, Japanese reinforcements have reached after a long period of forced marching, owing to the cutting of railway lines in ten places between Tsingtao and ’Tsinanfu.

The Chinese are noW making every prepare thin for regular war. Telephonic and other communications of Japanese units that are lighting in the city of Tsinanfu have been severed, also wireless apparatus’ in other centres have been demolished. Efforts were made by the Japanese to send an armoured train from Tsingtao to Tsinanfu. This has: been prevented owing to the demolition of tlie railway by the Nationalists.

Despatches state that Japanese forces- are surrounded hv Nationalists, and that the Japanese are using artillery and shrapnel, thus indicating definite warfare.

Tlie cutt'iig of a Yellow River bridge has been planned to prevent Japanese reinforcements' coming from Tsieiitsin.

Chinese captives possessed pamphlets containing instructions and exhortations to present a front against the Japanese campaign, ordering fho extermination of all Japanese in Shantung, and the removal of Japanese influence from China.

JAPANESE VERSION. TOKYO. Afay 5

Anxiety exists regarding three thousand Japanese troops in l.sinanln. Communications are interrupted and the wireless is not responsive. No despatches were received to-day. •flic VVnr" Officer in a statement, says that there was an attack on the protective troops and it was intentional. on a prepared plan. It is suggested that the attack was at the instigation of ,Southern leaders who arc antagonistic to the Commander-in-chief. Chians Kai Slick, whose friendliners to .Japan is unquestioned He had hitherto freely co-operated with the Japanese Commander in securing the safety of residents.

Japanese reinforcements are bein rushed to Dairen and Fsiiigtao.

JAPANESE OFFICIAL REPORT. TOKYO. May o. The Spokesman of the Japanese AYar Office, answering a question in the Diet, stated that be bail, only fragmentary and indefinite information as to events in Shantung, and ho knowledge of the events outside the Japanese guarded zone. Last, uig’id. there were ten Japanese dead and thirty wounded.

The Spokesman declared that military renorts from the scone slated the Southerners opened fire according to a. prearranged plan, hut it is not clear whether Nationalist, headquarters were responsible for this plan or not.

LACK OF NEAVS

SANGIIAT REPORTS. SHANGHAI. May 5. Information in relation to the situation at Tsinanfu is scarce. The romlnunieations are totally severed, including the wireless. The last news received stated that the .Tananose troops were exhausted hut had completed their defences. Civilians had been concentrated. Their ammunition and provisions, although diininsliing. were sufficient for a few days.

There is no information as to casualties among non-la pa nese foreigners. All foreigners are depending tin the Japanese for safety.

Reports from numerous Shantung pities show an anti-Japa.nesc feeling is growing. Official declarations by the Nationalist Government are not improving the situation, but rather are tending to aggravate it.

A CHINESE VERSION. SHANGHAI. May 5

The local Nationalists have reports that the newlv-appointed Nationalist CV.mmissioner of Foreign Affairs at Tsinanfu and his entire staff were killed by the Japanese during street fighting' but this is not confirmed.

OFFICIAL CHINESE REPORT. SHANGHAI, May 5. Marshal Chiang Kai Shek. tbe Southern Commander, has wirelessed to Shanghai tbe official Nationalist version of tbe Tsinanfu incident. He declares that the Japanese troops raided the Southern Bureau of Foreign Affairs, following a minor incident. in which a Southern soldier was killed. The Japanese looted the Foreign Bureau. They seized tbe Commissioner. Tsaikti ngsze. and bound him with rope. They cut off bis ears and gouged out bis eyes, before murdering him. Tbe Japanese burned the Bureau and they embarked on an

orgy of killing Southern soldiers. Tlio latter replied in self defence. Tlio vernacular press here attributes the Japanese conduct to their disappointment at failing to arrive in Tsinanfu before '.lie (Southerners and thus to prevent the capture by them. The Chinese press also declares that the Japanese arc assisting the Sbantungitos, and have deliberately precipitated the Tsinanfu incident in order to check the Nationalist advance. JAPAN’S PROBABLE AIAI. SHANGHAI, Afay 5. In view of the possibility of Manchuria- and Alongolia being luimed into theatres of war, it is reported that the Japanese Government is considering the blocking of the entrance of Chinese troops to its South Alnnchuria railway zone. Japanese warships are hastening to important ports where Japanese residents are residing, in expectation ot anti-Japancso outbreaks. TOKYO, Alav

H, the Japanese Diet, the members are singularly apathetic- regarding tlie fate of their countrymen >" tuu.r, discussing chiefly the local po itic.d effect of the fighting and massacre. There is no demand for retribution. - , . , The Fokin Government has lodged a protest with the Japanese Legation blaming Japan for the Tsinanfu incident. . , -i. The -Government officials arc watching with particular interest the nmvelemil of five thousand Japanese tumps into the heart of the Chinese War area. The United States will continue neutral both regarding the Lhmese eivil warfare ami the movement of Japanese soldiers unless American lives and properly are endangered, hut some fear is expressed met -he possible consequences of a cash [ween tlio Japanese and National forces.