Harbin, Feb, 26.
Reading the glowing accounts of} the proclamation of the new Manchurian Government in the Japanese Subsidised papers, it would be assumed that yesterday's demonstration on the Public square must thave been a marvellous sight and that it was attended by" of less than 100,000 people.
'As a matter of fact, the story has been greatly exaggerated by these: papers. In first. place, the Police authorities received instruc ions from the Civil Administrator to go round to all Chinese firms and tell them that' at Toast one presentative from each firm fattend the "Public: Demonstration fand carry flags, as well as be ready to. shout "banzai" or something. similar to thet. The police even. threatened to fine those firms who Idid not send a representative. Aeroplanes flew overhead the day, before and threw down tons of! Teaflets on the town calling upon the inhabitants to support the new. government which would give peace land prosperity to the country, and stating that the old government was, corrupt and inefficient.
Yesterday morning was very fine and in the eerly hours, three small Fhuts "were "erected on the public square and many paper flags were hung up for decorations. It was Jannounced that the Mayor, Mr. Pao would make a speech and. prod [the new government to the people Jand at the same time the flag of the Inow Government would be unfurled.
The ceremony was timed for! midday, but at midday there were Rot more than 300 people on. the Public square, and the most of these: were Russian emigrants. At the gateway as you came in and in one of the huts, proclamations were distributed to the people, who were
addresses, tut there were few who requested to sign their names and could be persuaded to do this.
Small flags were also handed out those "who signed, but their number was fe 'Just after midday the fire brigade arrived and took up a position on squa lice stood by ready' for the grounds, while a very large
larly possible disturbance which, however, did not occur. couple of foreign correspondents strolled about and. were greatly amused to find that in the paper flag display in front of the bhut from which the Mayor was to] lspenk, there were three the Union Jack, the Ensign and the Blue Ensign, while} there were quite a number of Kuomintang flags in the decorations.
Shortly after the time the. ceremony, arrived with lanterns, these being! {intended for a lantern procession. Some men were found who, for 20 leants each, agreed to make a procession in celebration of the "Great Day."
The mayor eventually arrived Jabout half an hour late and spoke few words regarding the forma-tiou of a new government, but there was no new flag unfurled, nor was there the slightest enthusiasm to be seen amongst the small gathering fof people who wore present.
he lantern procession also did not take place, as there "was no Jerowd to make '2 great demonstration, and thus it may be said that the whole of the celebration fizzled out.
'As showing the temper of many lof the Chinese, the proclama [which had been' pasted on the walls the pablic square, were torn down later in the evening, and in Foochiatien, many of the' lanterns were trampled under foot.
'A. curious. point thatthe parcels of proclamations were found Jaddressed to the Japanese Military Mission, and were actually seen in the hall of the building the day before by a foreigner who happened call 0 From this it may be assumed that the whole of the celebration was planned by the Japanese and that the Chinese who took part in it were simply acting fers, while the Chinese people took not. the test interest in the proceeding jand. in many cases, were strongly against the proposed new govern ment.
As regards Harbin, the proclamation of the new government is not taken seriously and the general public are waiting to see what the Fesult will be of the Shanghai ting and the serious situation which has arisen on the Chinese Eastern Railway Tine.
There are also "rumours that a Jumber of Ma Chan-shan's men }bave rebelled and are likely to-start operations on the western line.
Canton Determined on Suppression Little Serious Effort to Eradicate Them Canton, Mar, 7, TH Oc Own Consssrosiext Some heavy armaments were im-Haichow, Ku, Feb, 29. ported here from Europe in con During the first two weeks of nection with the anti-Communist!
February, there had been no news expeditions in southern Kiangsi and the newspapers Fukien and more implements of war failing to come ate expected to arrive before the through and all sorts of rumours tiddle of this month. in the town about the Fifteen aeroplanes were recently One ordered by the Canton Air Force, them Was that the greater portion and 50 far eight of them have been Jof Shanghai was destroyed and Put into service. The others will tens of thousands" were killed.
ive very soon. These are entire) Another persistent rumour was apart, of course, from the 60 fight ing that the foreign warships near machines presented by the Chinese Shanghai had opened fire on the residents in the United States Japanese warcraft, and that a through the On Liang Tong, a well-[general fight was beginning. wi known society: in North America, the oth nations taking China's The workshops of the local air part, wit the possible exception of force are working day and night to France who seemed to be on overhaul the engines and spare parts, Japan's side. With the arrival of of the machines. The engineees and Papers from Shanghai, there is mechanics are working in two shifts much relief here, and their salaries have been increased as "an encouragement fo Shortly after the first news of farther effort. A" few. aeroplanes ithe beginning of the conflict in have been locally constructed, with'
Shanghai, the military here were engines ordered from abroad being Teeruited back' into serv nem military officers: are feverishly at" work fortifying Hsugou, about twenty miles from Haichow.
Big guns were mounted Some are serving as lieutenants and and trenches dug. Other military captains in the. various new units preparations were also made. Moro that have been formed, following the and more troops of the 25th, Route menace by the Reds, and the. Ja-Army began to come in, Several panese invasion of Shanghai, Others! times, it was reported that, General have been given posts as staff off cers, whilst inexperienced subalterns Chiang "Kai-shek was coming over here from Suchowfu to inspect the are enrolled as cadets at the Yin troops and the preparations, al-Tong Military. Academy on the though he has failed to turn up. northern outskirts of the city.
With General Chen Chictang as Military " preparations "were lao made at Tapuand at Chingkow, President of the Yin Tong Military and at other points near Hajehow. Academy, 4000 cadets and fore.: r One good thing is coming to this officers are being trained in the art section through a threatened Jo modern warfare, This, wat cot Jose attack. The roads throughout then the. well-known Whampoa is ipped and finance this section are being improved, Jand some much-needed bridges are ry Academy founded by the being built. If the war-scare keeps
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.