Strong Japanese Criticism of Destruction Shanghai, Nov. 6.
Deliberite nets of vandalism on the part of the Chinese in setting fire to the buildings of the Tung Wen College on Hungjao Road, "cannot be condoned," a spokesman for the Japanese military declared yesterday morning.
These Chinese actions, the spokes man continued, are unpardonable "especially in view of the fact that the Chinese have frequently charged the Japanese with the systematic destruction "of Chinese educational and cultural institutions."
Regarding these charges, the spokesman added, "in every case of Japanese action' against "such establishment, it was done in the course of military operations against the structures which were being used by the Chinese as a military base or stronghold.
"This," the spokesman said, "cannot be said regarding the Tung Wen College which is definitely removed from the immediate theatre of hostities, "It is also regrettable," he continued, "that such deliberate arson should' have been perpetrated against an educational institution at atime when the Japanese authorities under= stood the French authorities had approached the Chinese with a view to preventing the hostilities. from ex= fending into the Immediate vicinity of Siccawei and the French Concession, by a withdrawal of the Chinese troops from the Tung Won College area now swarming with Chinese Peace Preservation Corps and regular troops."
'The spokesman also recalled that the Tung Wen College had been established for the: express purpose of promoting cultural relations between Japan' and China, building about one mile south of the creek towards Lincoln Road, Except for that one salient the Chinese continue to hold their tines along the creek despite heavy punish= ment. Chinese machine guns mount ed close to the creek were firing at Japanese planes through most of the afternoon. Although the planes flew at Tow altitudes at times, no hits appeared to be made, No planes were brought down,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.