WAR ON UNRULY CHINESE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 347, 7 May 1928, Page 9

WAR ON UNRULY CHINESE

Massacre in Tsinan ' ARTILLERY AND TROOPS FOR SHANTUNG TOKYO has decided to crush the anti-Japanese movement in Shantung, where a state of open warfare exists. The Seven transports laden with troops and artillery, are series of incidents at Tsinan appears to have culminated in a massacre of Japanese. Shops have been looted. The beleagured garrison is holding the central commercial area, leaving for Tsingtao.

(United P.A. —By Telegraph Copyright) (Australian P.A.— United Service) Reed. 12.10 p.m. TOKYO, Sun. An official message from Tsinan announces thath the Japanese there will drop the offensive and assume the aggressive from Monday, carrying out reprisals against the Chinese Nationalists. The Third Nagoya Division, on seven transports, will leave for Tsingtao in a few days. Its dispatch is only awaiting formal Cabinet sanction, which is due on Monday. The division includes an infantry brigade, a heavy artillery bridage, anti-aircraft regiment, and three air squadrons. With the Sixth Division now in Shantung there will be an organised army corps for the occupation of the province. It is understood that the Japanese Cabinet has approved a recommendation made by General Fukuda, in command of the expeditionary forces, that the Chinese troops shall be cleared out of Tsinan and from the Tsingtao railway. Another division is ready to depart from Japan if required. A spokesman for the Japanese War Office, in answering a question in the Diet, said he had only fragmentary and indefinite information from China and no knowledge of events outside the zone guarded by Japanese troops. Last night there were 10 Japanese dead and 30 wounded. The spokesman said military reports from Tsinan stated that the* Southerners opened fire according to a pre-ar-ranged plan, but it was not clear whether the Nationalist headquarters were responsible for the plan or not. The Japanese troops are singularly apathetic as regards the fate of thei. countrymen in Shantung. They are discussing chiefly the local political effect of the fighting and massacre. There is no demand for retribution. Reports from numerous cities in Shantung show that the anti-Japanese feeling is growing. Official declarations issued by the Nationalist Government have not improved the situation, but have rather tended to aggravate it. In view of the possibility of Manchuria and Mongolia being turned into theatres of war it is reported that the Japanese Government is considering blocking the entrance of Chinese troops to the South Manchuria railway zone. Japanese warships are being hastened to important ports where Japanese residents are residing, in expectation of anti-Japanese outbreaks. LOOTING AND KILLING NANKING OUTRAGES OUTDONE SOUTHERNERS OUT OF HAND (Australian Press Association.) Reed. 12.15 p.m. SHANGHAI, Sunday. A message from Tsinan states that all th# Japanese and other foreign residences have been systematically looted, amid gruesome scenes, except the central commercial quarter, which has been defended by Japanese troops. Many women have been massacred and the corpses show signs of brutal treatment. The Nanking outrages, a year ago, are nothing in comparison.

Japanese military casualties officially reported are ten killed and 3S wounded.

A message to the American Consulate reports that all British and American missionaries are safe.

Japanese troops and residents in their care are concentrated in the central commercial quarter, which has been reduced to a state of siege awaiting relief reinforcements marching from Tsingtao, on the arrival of whom it is expected that hostilities will again start. The Nationalists appear to be absolutely beyond control, and have even attacked Japanese officers proceeding through Tsinanfu in automobiles to negotiate with Chinese authorities. These officers were dragged from the car, tied with ropes, robbed, and were only saved from execution by tiie arrival of General Chiang Kai-Shek’s staff officers. PEKING PROTESTS CHINESE VIEW STATED BLAME FOR JAPANESE SHANGHAI, Sunday. The Peking Government has lodged a protest with the Japanese Legation blaming Japan for the Tsinan incidents. The Southern commander, Marshal Chiang Kai-shek, has sent sk wireless message to Shanghai giving the official Nationalist version of the situation. This declares that Japanese troops raided the Bureau of Foreign Affairs following upon a minor incident in which a Southern soldier was killed. Chiang says the Japanese looted the bureau, seized the commissioner, Tsai Kung-sze, bound him with ropes, cut off his ears, gouged out his eyes, and finally murdered him. The Japanese are then said to have burned the bureau and to have embarked upon an orgy of killing with Southern soldiers as their victims. The Southerners replied in self-defence. The vernacular Press attributes the conduct of the Japanese to disappointment at having failed to arrive at Tsinan before the Southerners, and so prevented its capture. It declares the Japanese. assisting the Shantung Chinese, deliberately precipitated the Tsinan incidents in order to check the Nationalists’ advance. The Japanese War Office has issued a statement saying the attack on the protective troops in Tsinan was part of an intentionally prepared plan suggested at the instigation of Southern leaders antagonistic to Chiang Kaishek, whose friendliness is not questioned. He has hitherto freely cooperated with the Japanese commander in securing the safety of residents. Reinforcements are being rushed by Japan from Dairen, Southern Manchuria to Tsingtao, the eastern port of Shantung.