FLOODS IN CHINA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 June 1938, Page 8

FLOODS IN CHINA

ONE OF HISTORY’S GREATEST DEFENSIVE MEASURES According to Foreign Military Observers PROVING DISASTROUS FOR JAPANESE VAST NUMBERS OF CHINESE HOMELESS AND STARVING ’ By Telegraph.—Press Association.— Copyright. (Received This Way, 12.5 p.m.) ' LONDON, June 17. The British United Press Shanghai correspondent says foreign military quarters express the opinion that the Yellow River floods may be one of history’s greatest defensive measures, proving as disastrous for the Japanese as the Russians’ burning of Moscow was for Napoleon’s Grand Army. It is reported that the Chinese troops east of the Peking-Hankow Railway in many sectors are linking the rivers by means of canals in order to direct the flood southwards, creating ap impassable barrier between the Lung Hai Railway and Miaotang, where the Japanese previously were advancing. ■ , . . .. , The disaster is the worst since 1855. Experts express the opinion that the floods will render the Japanese mechanised armies useless, destroy aerodromes and force the infantry to wallow in muddy devastation. Already a score of Japanese military bridges have been swept away. Many miles of roads have disappeared and flooded trenches have been abandoned. At least 700,000 Chinese are homeless and 200,000 have taken refuge in Japanese camps, creating a gigantic problem in feeding and housing them. Many thousands are starving, as the areas they have reached had already been devastated by war operations. RUSSIAN PROTEST. AGAINST BOMBINGS IN CHINA. JAPANESE REJECTION AND RETORT. (Received This Day, 12.20 p.m.) TOKIO, June 17. The Russian Charge d’Affairs, in asking Japan to cease the bombings in China, stated that the Moscow Government was most indignant over the bombing of Canton and other unfortified cities, resulting in the killing 01 Completely rejecting Russia’s right to make such representations, the Foreign Office spokesman (Mr T. Kawai) declared that the Soviets contentions were contrary to the facts. The attacked cities, especially Canton, were well fortified. The Japanese never knowingly attacked non-comba-tants. The Japanese Government regretted that the Soviet had made representations from such a biased standpoint. P lt was pointed out that Russia was supplying aeroplanes to China and assisting China in other ways. Japan demanded that Soviet help to China should cease, and also urged Moscow to reconsider its attitude.