The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-12-05


was no sign of preparation for de-
tense or offense.
Neutral observers here told me
that a Chinese offensive was out of
the question. They believed that
the proposal to create a neutral zone
had failed, chiefly due to the Japa-
nese attitude.
The city was under semi-martial
law. Shops were boarded up. Streets
we're empty, except for military SEN
tinels and an occasional gathering
rickshaw.
On Scouting Duty
Japanese airplanes have passed
over the city daily, but Chinese
soldiers made no attempts to shoot
at them. Neutral observers said the
planes were on scouting duty.
The foreign observers, both mill
tary and diplomatic, were CHARTERED
at the university dormitOry. The
cold weather found the men none
too pleased with their mission.
The observers told me that after
eleven days of inspection, they were
convinced that Chang Hseuh-
Llang's army was not concentrating
for defense or attack and that the
troops were receiving no reinforce
ments. The soldiers mostly were
billeted in villages between Shan
haikan, at the great wall of China,
and Tahoshan.
The observers reported $4,000
Chinese troops in the area.
The observers were instructed
originally to prepare a neutral zone
in the ChinchoW area. A break in
the railway line between Chinchow
and Mukden prevented them from
establishing contact with the Jap
anese headquarters.
Streets Almost Empty
AS the first correspondent to
reach Chinchow since the Japanese
abandoned their recent push south
ward toward the city, 1 found the
streets deserted except for military
guards stationed at short intervals.
1 arrived here on the first train
over the Mukden-Peiping line since
the dynamiting of four small bridges
Nov. 81 during the withdrawal Of
the Japanese troops.
1 hailed a rickshaw and started
for the university dormitory to
confer with the neutral observers.
My rickshaw was accompanied by
Chinese soldiers who kept their
fingers on their revolver triggers and
shouted the password when they
were challenged by guards at short
intervals. We passed rows of
boarded shop fronts, drove through
deserted tunnels and through quiet
streets. The city obviously was
afraid of a siege.
1 was taken through huge iron
gate barring entry to the inner wall
of the city and clattered along to
the observers headquarters. Here
/ found Colonel Nelson Maregtts
and Lieutenant H. S. Aldrich of the
United States, Colonel Badham
Thornhill and Captain F. w. A.
Staples and Consul Moss of Great
Britain, Captain Fieschi and Coun-
Sellor Lepice from the French le-
cation. All were eager to return to
Peiping, but only Captain Aldrich,
Colonel Thornhill and Kuehlborn
left Chinchow. They went to Shan
haikwan to continue their investi-
cation.
Cavalry Along Line
The observers said that in addi-
ton to the $4,000 Chinese troops in
the district three cavalry regiments
totaling $500 men were Stationede
on the Tahosan-Tungliao railway
line. The troops were commanded
by Chang Hseum-Liang's chief of
staff, General Yung-Chen.
The observers told me that the
Chinese discipline was good and
that the troops unqueStionably
obeyed Chang. The soldiers would
retire within the great wall imme-
diately if Chang so ordered, the
observers said.
The observers said that Yung-
Chen still placed hope on action
by the League of Nations.
I went back to my rickshaw and
was driven to Gingy Chinese no.
tel. The city was dark, save for
the lights used by sentries.
I came to Chinchow with Hen
rik Kaufman, Danish minister to
China, and Lovat Fraser, British
military attache at Peiping. We
were warned at Mukden of the
danger that bandits might attack
the train or derail it, but the jour-
rey was without incident.
Peasants Returning
Throngs of peasants returning to
China after seasonal farming in
Manchuria were aboard the train.
japanese soldiers at the Mukden
station searched the peasants and
opened their greasy bundles and
bedding rolls, seeking arms or other
.contraband.
A squad Of Japanese troops left
the train at Chuli-Ho, where the
Japanese have established their
southernmost outpost except for
few troops at Hsinminfu
saw my first Chinese armored
train at Tangchiawopu, obviously
unequipped for fighting. Crude Chi
nese trenches and dugouts north of
Tahoshan indicated the Chinese
first line of defense.