Evening star., 1932-02-16
Trucks Under Heavy Guard.

Long trains of brown army trucks
moved up and down the roads from the
japanese wharves. completing the un-
transport ships in the river. Eacf
truck was under heavy guard, carry.
ing unslung rifles. They hauled bed.
ding, food, cooking outfits, tents cloth.
ing. fuel, ammunition and other wal
supplies.
Smartly uniformed officers rode rest
less horses and were surrounded by staff
men and guards. Motor cycles, each
bearing three men and machine gun
dashed through the milling traffic.
Japanese aNiators warmed themselves
around fires at the newly built airdrome
a the settlement limits. Mechanics
tuned up" the planes and others filled
the bomb racks with bombs.
At the same time Russian and Chinese
Iaborers continued leVeling the new
runways Of the field. Around the edges
Of the airdrome 80 planes glistened in
the brilliant sunshine. Some of them
were bombers and some pursuit planes
Al were a bright metallic color with
flaming red tails, and they bore the ris-
ing sun emblem of Japan on their sides
Planes Held in Readiness.
The field is now q complete unit
Sleeping quarters have been erected and
long rows of gasoline tanks stood ready
to refuel the planes. Trucks roared il,
and out, bringing additional supplies
The atmosphere Of the place indicated
that something was about to happen.
Gen. Tsai Ting-Kai. the dapper, bril-
liant young poet-commander Of the
Chinese forces, shifted his $4,000 troops
with surprising rapidity. apparently to
block Japanese moves. Continual SHIFT
ing was in progress within the Japanese
lines. also and each side apparently
sought to cOunteract the increasing
preparations in the other camp.
The Chinese Bankers Association
presented the 10Th Route Army, which
is defending the city, with 25000o
Mexican collars. about a dollar to each
of the $4,000 men in the army, as ar
expression of gratitude and good will,
the bankers said.
The Peace Preservation Committee. a
patriotic organization of Shanghai resi-
dents also launched a campaign for "a
national salvation fund for armed re-
sistance to japanese invasion of Chi
nese territory" its representative said
Foreign Flags Used Widely.
while the military men are riskine
their lives and abandoning their fam
lilies" the committees statement said
lit is time for every citizen to pledge
financial support to the campaign
which is for the good of the country.
Foreign flags, especially American
sprung up everywhere today, flying
from flagpoles over buildings, in court.
yards, over doorways and from mos
automobiles. trucks. carriages and ever
richashaS Small boats plying along the
waterfront also carried British o.
American flags.
OF 48 vehicles investigated. on which
either American or British flags were
flying, not one was found to be owned
by a national Of either country. Tit
investigation was made after a COM
plant was made by the Japanese tina
the flags wee being r,ie-esG.
The examination by municipal police
revealed that Chinese were the primo.
pal offenders, citizens who wished *
guard against the danger Of being halt
ed by the troops who are guarding al
portions of the settlement. Even Ret
Cross flags were being flown on Chimes
commercial vehicles. Two such truck
stopped revealed that one was pro
dl.ce dealer and another belonged to {
trucking company.
Chinese authorities imediately begar
an attempt to devise plan to stop th'
practice In the meantime, native
flag shops were doing land office busi
ness and Chinese flags were conSpicu
GUS by their absence.