Kaifeng; Mystery of Arrested Canadian Priests Shanghai, Aug, 12. "DAY of Prayer" was held in all China Inland Missions yesterday as a dramatic message, received in Shanghai from Kai feng, revealed that there were grounds for hoping that the Japanese authorities there would discontinue thei rabid anti-British cam~ paign and allow mission workers to re-open the closed and sealed China Inland Mission premises, including the extensive hospital where over 100 patients, some cared for until all Britons were of them dangerously ill, were driven away.
The message, which was sent by two American missionaries, despatch. ed by the China Inland Mission to Kaifeng, immediately after news was received in Shanghai of the closure of the mission by the Japanese authorities, revealed that some import ant decisions Wwere expected as nego ations with the Japanese military forces were commenced by the two Americans.
Hsuchow by the Japanese Army authorities last Tuesday are Catholic priests, members. of the Canadian Jesuit Society. The only Canadia In Heuchowfu are said "to be these Catholic missionaries, about 20 in all, under Msgr. Cote, Bishop of Hsuchow. The two priests' were arrested for alleged espionage, according to semiofficial Japanese reports, 'AS the negotiations continue, the premises remain closed but hopes are entertained that the Japanese commander will heed the mission's re-'Quest in view of the fact that the Fe-opening of the hospital is of urgent necessity, Cared for in the hospital when the. closure was forced were over' 100 Chinese pati-fents. Heedless of their conditions—many of them were Tecovering {rom operations—the Japanese authorities turned them all out and refused to allow them to be treated by doctors.
Since that time the condition of many of the sick Chinese has become serious and this has been' pointed four to the Japanese authorities an argument for the re-opening of the premises. "Meanwhile, there. has been no further news from Shansi, where stations were closed by the Japanese authorities, and from other land points where the anti-British
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