Imperial Valley press., 1932-02-20
UNITED PRESS
WRITER TELLS
TALE OF BATTLE
CONTINUED From Page II

menacingly, would permit me to
proceed. But they were indiffer-
ent to my movements They
seemed to believe they were fight
ing Chinese and not concerned
with my business Bodies were
sprawled in the shell l-shattered
trenches.
AT one crossroad, around which
were deserted trenches, there was
rude board shack. A bullet rid
died sign overhead read Merry
Cabaret" In this little shack
American sailors once danced with
half-caSte girls. Across the street
was a symbolical signboard from
which leered a skull and cross
bones-placed originally to warn
of the dangerous intersection.
AS 1 turned toward the main
approach to Kiangwan village I
passed the entrenched Japanese
infantrymen. They did not moleSt
me but did not answer my greet
ing Down the road trooped
group of struggling refugees, ter
ror stricken and dazed. Their
homes had been burned, their
goods destroyed
Across one field ran a little
girl who appeared to be about the
same age as my little sister. She
was crying. She was dragging a
piece of tattered bedding. 1 tried
to catch her but she was fright
ened, apparently unable to decide
which was the worst, the foreign
devil" or the japanese soldiers.
Behind the japanese infantry
lines, six japanese Al guns were
shelling the village and the Chinese
were returning the fire. I was
caught between the two fires.
dropped into a deserted Chinese
trench, but the japanese steel he'll
meted soldiers ouSted me and
took refuge behind the concrete
wall of a bridge.
A farmer, forced by the heat OF
his own burning home, ran directly
across the road into the arms of
waiting soldiers. He stumbled and
I called to him. Overhead a tele-
phone wire snapped as a bullet
severed it. Frightened, he stag
gered to his feet and faced to the
soldiers, stopping to pray.
The soldiers tossed him into the
cold waters of a creek. He stood
waist deep chattering as the SOL
diers pointed their bayonets and
guns at him menacingly. Soldiers
finally dragged him ashore, search
ed him and found no weapons then
bound him. Ten soldiers marched
him off toward company head
quarters. ~ =
The goat I had rescued earlier
followed me, bleating. A sound news
man loaded him into a truck and
started back towards Shanghai.
The only time I was molested
came near the Chinese lines. A
japanese halted me and I said:
THE Chinese never sLoct an
American"
THE Chinese shoot anyone COM
ing from this side of the lines" the
sentry replied.
no Jul lieu OdCh IOWdlu oIldIlB =
hal, the continual thudding of
bombs and the continuous crack
ing of guns could be heard. Com
pany after company of japanese
soldiers marched along the road
side, pushing pedestrians to one
side. One could watch the shells
from the Chinese defense striking
at the invading japanese but they
were futile, falling short and burst
ing in great clouds of black dust,
powder and smoke.
Joining throngs of refugees I
turned towards the international
settlement and wondered, now that
it was dark and cold, what had
happened TO the little girl who
streaked off across the field drag
ging her bedding behind her.
She will not be able to sleep on
that tattered bedding tonight.