Chinese Crackers

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 352, 12 May 1928, Page 9

Chinese Crackers

FEW JAPANESE KILLED Tsinanfu Fighting Ceases <United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian P.A. —United Service} Eecd. 9.50 a.ru. SHANGHAI. Friday. THE fighting in the vicinity of Tsinanfu is believed practically to have ceased. Negotiations for a settlement and the affixation of the blame have started. Mr. Nakayama, chief of the first section of the Asiatic Affairs Bureau, is proceeding- from Japan to Tsinanfu to meet the Chinese delegates.

Four thousand Southerners are reported to be remaining in the walled section of Tsinanfu. Their attitude is uncertain. The walls have been largely demolished by the Japanese artillery.

A telegraphic complaint has been received from the Chinese telegraph staff at Tsinanfu, alleging that the Japanese imprisoned 40 members in the telegraph building. They were starving, and for four days were without food, appealing for assistance and foreign intervention.

The Northerners are withdrawing in accordance with Marshal Chang Tso-lin’s instructions, relieving the tension.

Eye-witnesses' accounts of the Tsinanfu incidents throw a new light, declaring that the trouble started when the Southerners captured Tsinanfu and found that the Japanese had arrived first, and had barricaded sections of the city, angering the Southerners.

From that moment a strong antiJapanese feeling was in evidence. The official list of Japanese military casualties in the various encounters has been issued by the War 'Office.

Twenty-one were killed and 79 wounded.

The Chinese casualties are not stated. It is believed that the killed and wounded number several thousand.

The Japanese are taking precautions against outbreaks here. Sentries are posted at important points in the Japanese quarter. TORTURE AND OUTRAGES

An eye-witness states that Japenese nationals in the outlying districts were seized by the Chinese, and murdered after being tortured, which in one case involved tearing out the victim’s eyes, and replacing them with stones.* Japanese women were stripped, paraded through the streets nude, ravished, and then killed. The only foreign property looted was o German-owned hotel. -

The subsequent rushing up of reinforcements enabled the Japanese to dictate the withdrawal of the Chinese from the commercial area of Tsinan. The refusal fully to comply with this requireTnent led to the subsequent fighting. The informant reports that the nonforeign Japanese were apparently not molested. JAPAN DENOUNCED CHINA APPEALS TO LEAGUE (Australian P.A.—United Service) Reed. 11.45 a.m. GENEVA, Friday. The Chinese National Government has sent a letter to the League of N~**nns denouncing the Japanese violation of China’s integrity and independence involving the League pact. It requests the Council to end a situation which is prejudicial to peace in the East. It is pointed out that the National Gove’'”*^ / '”t not a member of the therefore the application is out of order: hut it would be regularised if Peking endorsed it. In the meantime, the secretariat is communicating with all members of tb° Council. It is expected that Japan will also submit the matter to the Council. (United Service) Rc-d. Noon. HONG KONG, Friday. Chinese reports here state that the Japanese are evacuating Canton, fearing trouble, but the Japanese Consul at Hong-Kong denies this, saying that the Japanese have confidence in the tranquil situation. It is stated, however, that some living in the native city have gone to Shameen. All is quiet in the coast of Swatow, Amoy and F ocb —.