Evening star., 1932-01-31
FOREIGN LIVES MENACED.

DatLle Will SLLuleSS 1OSPS wac SNA
pected.
FOREIGN LIVES MENACED.
Japanese Occupy Large Slice of Settle
ment-Peace Parleys Held.
CcopyIight, 1882, by The Associated Press)
SHANGHAI. January 81 Sunday
R)-Sharp fighting between japanese
machine gunnerS and Chinese SnlperS
menaced foreign lives today in Shang-
hais International Settlement.
Trampling down neutral authority,
the japanese occupied a large slice OF
the settlement in their drive to oust
China,s army from the embattled city.
Peace parleyss were undertaken as the
battle ragged Just across SoochoW Greek,
near the British consulate. gap OF
only one mile separated Japanese ana
United States Marines, the latter pro-
teCting the settlement area not yet oc-
cupied by the Japanese.
DEVELOPMENTS came rapidly.
l. Chinese authorities at Nanking de-
cided to make a formal declaration OF
war on Japan. Then they moved the
seat of government westward about 400
miles from Marking to Honantu
Push Across Soochow Creek.
?. Japanese military forces showed
aside settlement police in the HongkeW
section Of the International Settlement,
pushing across Soochow Greek 10 the
grounds Of the British consulate;
3 Mortar shells were reported to
have fallen within the settlement, sup
posedlv from the Chapel native section
Of Shanghai. l.
4, Scottish soldiers were sent out to
scatter growing Chinese croWoS aiIer
American and British volunteer police
had been stoned and chased through
the streets ,.,....
reinforcements under cover Of secrecy
Seventeen truckloadS OF dead jap
anese marines and sailors we're removed
from the fighting area.
A food shortage threatened the CITY.
American Consul General Edwin 5.
Cunningham urged the United states
Asiatic Fleet to come to the city I'M
mediately in view of encroachmentS on
the foreign settlement.
A food shortage threatened the
troubled city.
One Chinese was reported killed
when eight stokes" mortar shells, ap-
narently fred from the Chapel native
section, fell within the northern bound
aries of the foreign section. A Portu-
g7lese youth was wounded by Shrapnel
and dozen other persons by stray
Fires died down in the Chapel and
Hongkew sections after causing damage
estimated at more than Sl0OOO,OOO..
Chinese said the HongkeW FIRE was
started by Japanese marines. II true
japanese officials said, it was to drive
out Snipers.
The American Marines faced Chinese
sandbag barTicades and machine gun
nests on the opposite shore of Soochow
Greek. two miles inland from the
waterfront There was speculation as
to what would happen if the japanese
reservists came in contact with the
Marines
Planes Circle Over City.
Seventeen japanese airplanes circled
over the city in what were officially
described as "warning-up" exercises,
and the international Settlement was
apprehensive.
The japanese frightened their control
over Hongkew, ordinarily known as the
Japanese section of the foreign settle
ment. officials at noon said there was
no intention of evacuating the Japanese
Marine patrols, leaving the area IN the
hands of settlement police. ..,
The police functions from Soochow
Creek northWard we're usurped by the
japanese reServistS in civilian clothes.
They wore brassards and were armed
with pistols, bayonetS, sword sticks and
even hatChets.
These reservists held up all automo-
biles within the area and some of them
beat Chinese whose actions appeared
suspicious to them. A Chinese chauf-
feur, homeWard bound after parking
his car within Hongkew, was killed as
he ran frightened from the Japanese.
Several others suspected Of sniptng were
slain and a number wounded,
Meat Supply Lew.
Newspapers said there was less than
a three-oays' supply Of meat available
for the foreign settlement while yege-
tables were most scarce. HongkeW
market within the Japanese occupied
territory, which is one of the largest in
the city, was deserted
Labor troubles were added to the food
shortage At least 100000 Of the lower
classes were idle, owing to the closing
down of silk and cotton mills, banks
and all kinds of shops in a strike
against the International Settlement.
The Chinese charged foreigners with
allowing the japanese to use the settle
ment as a base for their antt-ChineSe
operations.
Many shops were closed two days ago.
All those financially able laid in sup
plies Of everything from cigaretS TO
hard tack
American Marines were reported to
have made additional arrests Of Japa-
nese Marines, but the American au-
thorities said none had been seized since
IA japanese in civilian clothes were
arrested last night within the settle
ment
For the last II hours japanese ma
rineS and men in multi originally en-
gagged in fighting the Chinese in the
native Chapel district, have penetrated
into the settlement in small groups.
They took into their firm grip in
Hongkew where many Americans live
and the wayside districts, known as
the Jap section. Throughout this area
JapeneSe military rule was supreme.
Sailors Take Control.
Settlement police, Settlement courts,
and every arm of the Settlement Gov
ernment, administered by a group OF
voluntarily cooperating ma ions dedi-
Gated to neutrality, ceased 70 exert the
slightest authority.
The japanese arrested whom they
pleased and those they imprisoned
were subject to the decision Of the
Japanese naval authorities, under whose
OueCGlulA Vic OSGuPaV4O4l VI CAAe 4tA'SA
national territory = carried out.
One of those seicSd was an Ameri-
can youth named Kay johnson. 1t
was reported he was held at japanese
military headquarters charged with
having sniped on japanese from a
oecond story window in the Hongkew
section. The American authorities were
understood to have taken action tc
bring about his release.
The Japanese authorities placed
picketS at stations only few yards
apart on the streets Of the seized area,
and it was impossible for any one to