It is difficult to express in sufficiently glowing terms the admiration which the whole community feels for the International Committee which, in ce-operation with the Japanese and Chinese authorities, has been wonderfully successful with its supervision of the reserved area in Nantao. When Father Jacquinot and his colleagues showed that nothing would deter them from pressing their neutralization scheme on the responsible parties, it was hoped that their persistence would, be rewarded, but sad experience impelled caution in giving that hope too free a rein. The developments arising from the struggle in Nantao where the Japanese forces were seeking to dislodge a remnant of the Chinese defenders made it appear almost impossible for the Committee to expect that the reserved area would escape violation. The agreement held. As the statement issued shows, all three parties adhered to it and carried out their respective parts of the bargain. The area was resorted to by over 100,000 refugees and the members of the Committee assiduous! patrolled it spreading confidence by their presence and encouragement. The danger of their task is illustrated by the fact that some of them had narrow escapes. Father Jacquinot himself had his cassock torn by a stray splinter. The Japanese as "attackers showed themselves specially alert in keeping in. touch with the Committee and their fire was directed with due consideration so that the reserved area was unscathed. There is more than a local value in this remarkable achievement. Does it not show that, given goodwill such as that which the Committee and the two authorities were able to mobilize, success can be achieved in limiting the incidence of the major horrors of war to the sparing of non-combatants? It also shows that, even in the most difficult and delicate circumstances produced by the heat of battle, scope is still left for the observance of the laws of humanity and the sanctity of the pledged word. Relief at the misery which those refugees have escaped thanks to the courage of the Intertional Committee and the ce-operation which it commanded will be generally recorded, together with an expression of deep gratitude for the splendid example thus set
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.