No Object Seen in Intervention by Third Party Nationals; China People in Arms, Says Paper Shanghai, July 20, INCE the policy of the Hankow. Government appears to be designed to make use of the entire population of Hankow to fight against Japan, "it can reasonably be assumed that the Chinese who would remain in that war zone would not be refugees but fighters," the Japanese daily "Mainichi" stated in quoting opinions of Japanese military authorities in Shanghai.
Referring to reports that British and American missionaries in Hankow are planning to establish a refugee zone in that city, the newspaper quoted Japanese military authorities as holding the opinion that evacuation of refugees io a place away from the fighting zone is more desirable than the establishment of such a zone in Hankow, "As the Hankow Government has been' responsible forthe state of ops {ogee zones established without their oval. affairs brought about by its mistaken "In addition to this, the so-called policy of anti-Japanese resistance, it refugee zones, which have persisted incumbent on third Powers to keep even after the Japanese occupation from interfering with the fighting be-of several places, have proved great {heen Japan and Ching" the poper obstructions to the maintenance of peace and order.
"According to the reports received "It is a well known fact that here, the projected Wuhan refugee though foreigners established refugee zone seems to be meant. for not zones for charitable purposes, the only Chinese but foreigners, but zones in some cases have become there any valid reason for people refuge for anti-Japanese ele other than -Japatiese and Chinese to remain in the dangerous areas where tlitary operations are to be carried 'The paper pointed out that the Japanese; Government and mallitary Foreigners to Evacuate authorities have often advised. foreign residents in China to evacuate'
The Kuling Area Gungerous fighting zones, and "relied upon their favourable "response to Hankow, Suly 25. Japanese consideration.'
All foreigners at Kuling' have been lardered to evacuate by the authorities Third Powers Considered fat Lushan, according to a telegram 'The Japanese authorities are taking received this morning by the Americ into consideration the rights and inv jean Consul-General, Mr, P. Re terests of third Powers in the Wuhan Josselyn, from the Rev. Mr.' Roy area, the journal continued, and have Allgood, principal of the Kuling called the attention of the Powers to American School. The reason for the the necessity of their taking suitable order is that the hostilities are measures to prevent the. Hankow pected to spread (o that centre, Government from using foreign pro The British and American Ambas-perties In the area for military pur: sadors are now considering what wilt poses, be the best action to take, $5] "te seems that the planned refugee! zone will include the Special Admin it is expected that the foreigner will "evacuate either overland to fstrative Districts," the daily stated, Changsha, or aboard the concentra-"The British Concession having been restored to the Chinese in 1927, {tion of British and American ships joint British-Chinese Councit flag three miles upriver from Kiukiang, There is space available aboard been functioning as an administra. the s. Wenchow, it is believed, but tive body for the special district.
However, there is ample room for [it is pointed out that there are many [Chinese and their families aboard as doubt az to who directs the above well as a handful of foreigners. committee.
"In view of the fact that large There are now more than 0 numbers of people are being evacuate Americans and a similar number of ed from Hankow now, and that th 1¢ Britons at Kuling, most of whom are Government is expected leave, missionaries those people who remain there until i] " Japanese military operations in the the last cannot be described as re-vicinity of Kiukiang have apparently 24) fugees, been speeded up during the past 24 "According to @ press report {rom hours, with the result that anxiety is, Hankow, the Wuhan Government has) {elt for the foreigners at Kuling, planned' to take the lead in a re.
"Originally it was expected that they would be able to remain on the hill, fugee programme for non-com! nts, and to facilitate the removal of the fut now it is possible that hostilities Will be extended to the famous sume people into the interior by closing mer resort, Schools and other institutions, Ao HAMS, Cockchafer yesterday moved cording to the report, the Government planned to send away first of from Kiukiang to a fow miles upriver where the American gunboat all wounded soldiers, women and Monocacy, the British s. Wenchow children, land other ships are concentrated Accommodation in Chungking 'The Japanese warships moved to a point ive milles east of Kiukiang "According to another press mes-yesterday, but later retired to their sage from Chungking last month, a. north of Oliphant refugee zone had been planned' in between Kiukiang and that city which would be able to accommodate more than 50,000 Chi nese from Hankow.
"In the light of the policy of the: Hankow Government, which appear: to be aimed at using the entire population as fighting elements against Japan, it can reasonably be assumed, that the Chinese who remain in the war zone would not be refugees but "In these circumstances the establishment by Third Powers of a re fugee zone and the protection of resisting people would be interference with the operations of the Japanese "It foreigners in Hankow are really concerned about the safely of the inhabitants of the city they should first of all cause the Chinese military forees to withdraw from Hankow.
"In the past almost all the re-'Auge zones which have been esiablished in areas occupied the Japanese forces were set up without any agreement with the Japanese itary authorities.
"However, the Japanese force: acting from a standpoint of human ity, have assumed an attitude of benevolence toward these zones at the cost of great inconvenience to their military operations.
"A mere glance at the protection afforded Chinese residents in Japan, to say nothing of the state of affairs in Japanese-occupied areas, will show: the real intentions of the Japanese forces.
"The facts to date show that the Japanese forces have suffered in-humorable inconveniences to. their tactical operations because of the re-
The British authorities are unde 's|stood to have telegraphed this after noon to Britons in Kuling to ascertain it the report is correct that the Chie nese authorities at Lushan have relauested foreigners to evacuate the bill, Hf the request ix confirmed, the British authorities likely to. ask the Chinese to provi lo transportation facilities.
It is believed unlikely that the Cockchafer or the Monocacy is able to return to Kiukiang to pick up foreigners from Kuling, since. the beoms both at ove Kiukiang, now are said to be closed, The only means of transportation overland is by motor ears from Kuling, to Tehan, on the Kiukiang-Manchang, Railway, but the provision of motor curs for over 100, persons may be difficult at the present juneture—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.