The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-01-30

dertake to suppress the sniping.
The food situation is causing
concern. The city's meat supply
can last only three days. And
farmers up-country refuse to come
to Shanghai, fearing death.
The city's fresh vegetable supply
also has been curtailed.
Meat prices have skyrocketed 40
per cent since the hostilities be-
gan.
The smouldering city was calm
at 1920 p. M, except for snip
Ing in the native Hongkew dis
trict. The stiffness was oninous
after two days of almost constant
fighting, broken only by Fridays
brief 12-hour armistice.
The Japanese marines defending
their headquarters within the set
Element refrained from returning
snipers' fire. Their commanders
insisted the armistice was still in
effect as far as they were con.
cerned.
They retained the right to re-
pulse attacks and, If sniping fire
got too hot, to repulse it. The
Japanese insisted. however, they
would not be guilty of provocations
themselves during the truce, broken
during the morning by the Chinese
attack.
The armistice arranged by Cum
ningham and Brennan yesterday
ended at $50 a. m. today T:3O p.
m. Friday EST) when Chinese, ap-
parently reinforced by picked
troops from Marking, started a
sharp offensive from emplacements
near North Station, in Chapel dis
trict. They drove the Japanese
marines back.
Shells from artillery mortars
dropped into the international set
Element as Chinese bombarded ia
panese marine headquarters inside
the boundary. The move appar-
emily was in retaliation for the sur
prise Japanese move into Chinese
territory two days ago.
The Japanese retreated until or
ganized for counter-attack, then
struck back. Red Cross ambulances
were kept busy in the Chapel and
adjoining Hongkew districts.
At IL a. m. fighting died down.
1t had ceased by noon, with only
occasional sniping.
There we're unconfirmed rumors
that more Chinese troops and air.
plane reinforcements had reached
the native city, ready for a fresh
offensive against the comparative
ly small Japanese marine force.
The British landed reinforce
ments, $50 men in the first battal-
ion, Wiltshires Regiment, being
added to their defense unit in the
international settlement. They
brought the British troops to near
ly 5000 men.
japanese reinforcements moves
through Hongkew at double-quick
time, enroute to the front along
Range road. Six motor trucks fly
ing the Red Cross flag shot through
the business district Of the settle
ment toward the scene.
The fury Of the Chinese attack at
the North Station, hurled back the
japanese troops, far outnumbered.
The Japanese launched a three
counter-attack shortly after 10 a.
m. They brought up artillery,
armored cars and marines. The
roar of heavy guns, the staccato
splitting of machine gun fire and
rifles was heard all through the
nerve-wracking morning.
The Chinese attack which had
threatened to involve the 6.760 for
eign troops, including United States
marines, ceased without a Chinese
soldier setting foot inside the set
Element. and the danger was be-
lieved averted.
Chinese civilians. men, women
and children. were panic-stricken
anew and fought their way from
the scene of the attack and counter
attack. Japanese and other for
eigners also fed toward the water
front.
Ambulances dashed through the
settlement carrying dead and
wounded to hospitals. Hospitals