STILL IN PROGRESS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 September 1940, Page 5

STILL IN PROGRESS

FIGHTING IN INDOCHINA CASUALTIES ON BOTH SIDES. JAPANESE AIR BOMBING AND SHELLING. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) HANOI, September 24. Fighting in Indo-China was still progressing this morning. Two Japanese planes have been shot down. French women and children are being evacuated from the border areas. A French communique issued in Haiphong says the French suffered 60 casualties, a considerable number of which were deaths. The Japanese admit that a number of their troops were killed. It is understood the Chinese have proclaimed martial law throughout the provinces of Yunnan and Kwangsi, which border Indo-China. The Japanese made two daylight air raids on the strategic railway border town of Langson. They also resumed theii - shelling in the afternoon Six Japanese planes twice concentrated bombs on the Langson airport and market place. Fighting occurred in Langson all the afternoon. The French announced that the IndoChina troops abandoned Dong Dang. The Japanese planes which bombed Langson were apparently operating from an aircraft carrier. A hospital train,from the border arrived at Hanoi carying more than 100 wounded. Red Cross stations have been established throughout the city awaiting an emergency. The army has commandeered motor-cars.

The French insist that the Japanese are responsible for the bordei’ fighting, because Sunday’s agreement does not provide for the Canton army’s entry into Indo-China, though it was admitted that the French agreed to discuss the question in the future. Commenting on Tokio’s announcement of a peaceful and friendly entry into Indo-China, officials said: “Anyone coming across the border in the middle of the night in combat formation and using arms is hardly friendly.” CHINESE ACTION WILL PROCEED ACCORDING TO PLAN. DESTRUCTION OF BORDER COMMUNICATIONS. CHUNGKING, September 24. China had plenty of time to prepare for this eventuality, and our actions will proceed according to

the pre-arranged plan,” declared a Chinese spokesman, commenting on the Indo-China agreement. Itis estimated that 200,000 Chinese are massed along the border ready to resist any Japanese advance toward Kunming. A large scale destruction of all communication facilities on the border is at present progressing. Whole sections of the Indo-China railway inside Chinese territory are being removed. The evacuation of the Chinese population and Government insttiution in Kunming is beihg speeded up, as it is feared that the Japanese will resort to a severe aerial bombardment of the ill-defended city shortly from their newly-acquired air bases. The influential newspaper “Takung Pao” says that Chinese military preparations have been completed and that troops are awaiting orders to fight the Japanese in Indo-China. AGREEMENT SIGNED STATEMENT BY M BAUDOUIN AN UNCONVINCING CLAIM. VICHY, September 24. The Foreign Minister, M Baudouin, stated that the granting by France to Japan of air bases in indo-China and the right of passage to 6000 troops was not an offensive action against China, but a cover to a possible Japanese evacuation from Canton.

France and Japan had signed a military agreement and a commercia agreement was being negotiated. Japan would receive economic preference over all other Powers.

■ “France hopes that the signature of - the pact, in which she recognises Japan’s dominating political and economic interests in the Far East, will prove the beginning of a loyal FrancoJapanese entente,” he said. The Axis Powers had not exerted pressure to secure the acceptance of the Japanese demands. France agreed to the concessions when the American Secretary of State, Mr Hull, told her that the United States realised the necessity of her doing so. BELLICOSE TONE TAKEN BY JAPANESE PAPER. THIRD POWERS DEFIED. TOKIO, September 24. The “Yomiuri Shimbun” says the Japanese Government will reject unhesitatingly any third country’s protest against Japan’s entry into IndoChina because the Japanese intentions are “extremely peaceful and constructive, and, moreover, have been taken with the full understanding of the French Government.” The paper added that some of the third Powers which had interfered in the negotiations from the outset were already showing a threatening attitude and contending that the entry of the Japanese troops was an improper military action. AMERICAN DENIAL AGREEMENT NOT APPROVED. WASHINGTON, September 24. The State Department categorically denied M Baudouin’s statement that the United States had approved the French concessions to Japan in Indo-China. "This Government has not at any time or in any way approved the French concessions to Japan,” said a statement. “The attitude of this Government to the developments in IndoChina is as expressed by Mr Hull on trie previous day.”

A cablegram from Washington received yesterday read:—The Secretary of State, Mr Cordell Hull, declared that the status quo had been upset through duress: He reiterated the disapproval

of the United States, but did not indicate the possible steps by the United States to give concrete weight to its disapproval. U.S.A. CRUISER MAY DOCK AT SINGAPORE. WASHINGTON, September 23. The Secretary of State, Mr Hull, said he had no confirmation officially that the United States cruiser Augusta might go to Singapore for an overhaul, saying that if the report were true it was a common custom and courtesy among nations to permit a vessel to enter the nearest dry dock if repairs were urgently required. '■ Other quarters, however, suggested that the dry-docking of the Augusta at Singapore might have tremendous repercussions, since it would be the first official use of Singapore for servicing an American vessel.

CHINESE PROTEST FRANCE HELD RESPONSIBLE. (Received This Day, 9.25 a.m.) CHUNGKING, September 24. The Chinese Cabinet, it is understood, has protested to France and will hold France responsible for any losses or damage incurred as a result of the Indo-China agreement with Japan. The course of events in Indo-China is obscure, the 8.8. C. reports. Some reports state that fighting is still proceeding, while Japanese sources say that the French have been told to hold their fire unless attacked. The Vichy Government has agreed to let the Japanese have free air bases, and the

right of passage for 6000 troops. EFFECTIVE ACTION ON PART OF UNITED STATES. URGED BY CHINESE PAPER. (Received This Day, 9.15 a.m.) CHUNGKING, September 24. The newspaper “Takun Pao” says that French realism is synonymous with surrender, and that “the time has arrived for America to adopt effective action in the Western Pacific to replace her empty words, which are useless.” CAPTURE OF TROOPS JAPANESE REPORT FROM INDO-CHINA. SHANGHAI, September 24. The Japanese news agency’s representative at the army base in South China reported that the Japanese captured 240 Indo-China troops, including several French officers, when they occupied a blockhouse near Dong Dang. The French losses were 131 killed and the Japanese losses were very slight.

STAND BY FRENCH DONG DANG RECAPTURED. JAPANESE LAUNCHING MAJOR ATTACK. (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) HANOI, September 24. The French have recaptured Dong Dang. It is reported that the French are making a determined stand at Langson. French artillery is shelling from strong fortifications, taking heavy toll of the Japanese, whose bodies are piled high along the roads outside Langson. The Japanese announced that they are launching a major attack on September 25, including the bombing of Haiphong. The Japanese appear to be attacking independent of Major-Gen-eral Nishihara, who has sailed from Haiphong for Hainan and is reported to be attempting to persuade General Ando, commanding the Japanese army in South China, to delay his attack. Major-General Nishihara encountered a Japanese invasion fleet of eight transports, one cruiser and three destroyers on route to Haiphong. He is reported to have asked the fleet commander to defer his attempt at landing. Schools iti Haiphong have been closed and trains are evacuating civilians. The French-Japanese agreement signed on September 22 has been cancelled.