ANTI - BRITISH MOVEMENTS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 6, Issue 139, 20 February 1942, Page 8

ANTI - BRITISH MOVEMENTS

| Written for "The Listener’ by |

BARBARA J.

COLLINS

BA:,

(Cantab.), late Education Depart- | ment, Shanghai Municipal Council, and accredited Lecturer for the China Relief Fund

articles with a view to giving an idea of what life in occupied territory is like. I have tried to show what the Japanese have done to the Chinese. I have spoken of the Japanese stranglehold on China’s trade and how the Chinese combated it; I have discussed Wang Ching-wei’s gangsters, and the nefarious opium traffic. Now finally I want to give you’a slight idea of how the Japanese have harassed and opposed the British, hindered our trade, maltreated foreigners of all nations, and tried to turn all interests but their own out of China. When I left for England in 1936 to lecture for the Relief Fund, feeling against the foreigner was not running high and our presence was still a check on the behaviour of the Japanese; but when I returned early in 1939 the position had greatly changed. To begin with, many of us in Shanghai kept inside the city boundaries to avoid complication, though some ventured out riding or walking to get away from the filth and congestion of our refugeecrowded city. At first hostility was directed mostly against the British. On the other hand the Americans were ] HAVE written my preceding

singled out for special consideration, the Japanese at that time fearing complications. But they did not always manage tu discriminate among the many nationals. Early in 1939 my own German doctor was attacked by a Japanese soldier while out riding. When he did not dismount at an order in the Japanese language the soldier shouted " English pig" and poked out his eye with a bayonet. In Tientsin even more than in Shang: hai there was a horrible feeling of not knowing when the next blow would fall. There, as all the world knows, live wire was put around the concessions, its openings were guarded by Japanese sentries and searches were conducted at the point of the bayonet. ‘Drive Against Missionaries At this time the Japanese were trying to suppress the work of the missionaries. Through the gendarmes, the Puppet government sent out a questionnaire requiring details as to church officers, membership lists, including the names and addresses of ‘absent members, with their approximate income, the place and purpose of religious meetings, with the schedules of all proposed gatherings. The possibility was soon realised that spies might attend meetings, that official closure might come if the meetings deviated from schedule, that there might be a financial "shake down" of people of relatively large incomes, that accusa-

tions of helping national resistance might be levelled at. the missions. Then came active measures. Hospital gates were burnt down, hand grenades were thrown into mission compounds, servants were intimidated, supplies of food were stopped in transit. Over 70 per cent. of the mission stations were forced to close down. Two Curious Letters Next, anti-British movements were formed by Japanese-paid agents. A Japanese-paid Chinese Seamen’s Union attempted at Tangu to stop Chinese crews serving on British ships. I have with me copies of two curious letters circularised to the British which I will quote: Tangku, 23rd July, 1939. There will be no need to explain the reason why we send this message to you. You wise gentlemen perhaps know well the condition for you. It is impossible to suppose that ou: Chinese anti-Anglo movement which is increasing its force day by day change to any form of direct action and to accur accident inexpected. Such a condition as this has been ruled from persecution and _ ill-treat-ment by Anglo-Saxon upon us for a century long past. But however this result umpired justly by God. We do not want to see blood in this district. We warn you in all kindness. 1. You had better return to your country home. If you neglect this our warning, you shall know how and what will be the reward for your free will. And we have glory to tell you the responsibility about which you shall meet accident must be to yours only not us at all. 2. You shall have four weeks to prepare. We anti-Anglo Committee assure your lives and liberty for these four weeks, But after this four weeks nobody and no committee shall assure you in any sort of thing. 3. If you need. more time by any special reason you had better to inform us of the date of departure expected. We treat it with good will. But this must be only literally "in gooc will" not in assurance of y x6 lives and liberty. We warn you again for your sake to return to your home country as quick as you can. Good-bye you gentlemen. Bon voyage. ; Anti-Anglo Committee of Tangku. Sealed with Official Seal. The second was still more curious and was addressed to H.M.S. Sandwich, lying off Tangku. — July 23, 1939. You kindest sailor of Britain. Perhaps you don’t know why you come here. And the reason why your coming here shall prevent the Tokyo Conference is out of your question. Mr. Chamberlain (do you know he is Prime Minister of British Cabinet) never ordered such navy action. In Swatow the Captain and a Councillor have been change by the reason of

neglecting his (Chamberlain) order and desire. If you have some capacity to think you must think in this living news. If you have only brutal barbarian no need of word to you Sir? We declare we drive you Anglo-Saxon from Asia. We are very sorry that you belong. to this catagory. We have warned your friend here to go back to his native village of Britain, the same warning message shall to you. That comes of our kindness to Anglo-Saxon as a human existence (is Anglo-Saxon a human existence or a bru‘al Shylock or Vampire?) This will be other question, We will politely teach you for first greet. Do you know sacrifice Armada. This is the name given to you Far East Fleet of Britain by your respectable Admiral not by Foreign Authority. Your Admiral wisely and justly named fleet you belong thus. "Do you challenge us?" Perhaps you can kill us as free as you want. Because we have no arms. But do you do it glory to kill disarmed people as your same deed in Arabia. We advise you that you had better not forget this territory belongs to Order of Japanese Military Orders. Do you challenge to the Furious " Invincible Armada of World of Japanese Naval Force," Perhaps you never be such a Dunglike Foolish Boy from any kind of view. If you challenge we will be glad to throw back your grave and we elect the glorious, way of death. But you shall know the meaning of the Sacrifice Fleet. You had best know the first of the China Sea are thirsty to blood. A Trading "Incident" Such documents were merely smiled at, but much more serious was our exclusion in all the big ports from wharves and warehouses. The Yangtze river has been closed to non-Japanese traffic for four years. I saw at first hand the dying out of the cotton trade. It was just two years ago. Conditions had been particularly trying in Shanghai. I had been cooped up for eighteen months, and decided that I must get a breath of fresh air in the country. I heard of a British ship doing a "pleasure cruise" in the Yangtze delta. I went to the shipping: office and asked for a ticket for the New Year cruise. The booking clerk gave me a curious glance and told me that they could not say how long the "cruise" might last; it might be three days or a fortnight and we should only go sixty miles up the river, as that was as far as the Japanese allowed shipping to go. Was I nervous? There might be firing. Through the Blockade — There was only one other passenger, an Australian woman friend of mine, and we were asked to make ourselves as conspicuous as possible on deck. By nightfall we had steamed as far as (Continued on next page)

JAPANESE IN CHINA (Continued from previous page) Haimen, a Japanese controlled port, which was the limit to which we were allowed to go. We dined about seven, and the captain then asked if we would mind turning in at once or having all lights put out; he suggested early bed, as we might be awakened during the night. At about nine we up-anchored and in complete darkness steamed away. Two or three other ships of Portuguese, German, and Italian nationality did likewise, and it was weird to see their shadows stealing along with us in complete silence and darkness. They were all shallow draught boats drawing only four or five feet of water and we hugged the river bank. At midnight we dropped anchor off a little creek which led to the small township of Hsin Kong. Suddenly in the moonlight it became possible to see shapes moving down the creek, and sampan after sampan came creeping out, laden with huge grey bales of cotton. We opened the side

hatches, and in silence loading began. Feverishly they worked till four o’clock. It was cotton from the free Chinese forces and we were running it through the Japanese blockade. Then again we up-anchored and stole back to Haimen. When dawn broke we were at our original anchorage and resumed our pleasure cruise functions for the day. For four nights we worked like this, but on the fifth night the end came. We had hardly re-anchored off Hsin Kong when we saw the lights of a Japanese gunboat coming up mid-stream. Hastily with lights we signalled the guerilla forces to keep away. A shot was sent across our bows. The gunboat could not get near us for she was not of sufficiently shallow draught, but an armed trawler was sent out and circled round and round us as we lay innocently at anchor. Before dawn we steamed back to Haimen, That morning when daylight came we watched the shelling of Hsin Kong by the Japanese: a reminder to the Chinese that they were not to trade with the foreigner.