Evening star., 1932-02-22

Mrs. Hoover and their party leaving the
was to disrupt communications between
the Chinese front lines and the rear.
Great holes were blown in the roadway
and 1t seemed that all military trafilc
would be tied up for hours. Bodies Of
soldiers and civilians who were killed
by bomb splinters or machine gun
slugs lay here and there"
Tooay's offensive was begun by the
Japanese at daybreak. 1t opened
with tremendous artillery attack as
the heavy guns along the line roared
into action. Visibility was SO poor, be-
cause Of heavy mists and driving rain.
that it was impossible for the gunners
TO make observations, so they shot
blindly. Large groups Of tanks and
troops stood ready to back up the artil-
leIy bombardment when 1t ended.
Kiangwan Is Target.
One of the principal targets for the
fire was the little group of Chinese
defenders OF Kiangwan who had with
stood q frontal attack of tanks, artil-
lery, cavalry and infantry for two days.
At midnight last night their casualties
were unknown, but the Japanese ad-
mitted they had lost 100 men killed
or wounded.
The Japanese changed their plan of
action shortly after darkness set in last
night and rushed their reinforcements
to the point north Of the village. Their
leaders said they were unwilling to
sacrifice lives needlessly by attempting
to rush the village walls. They ex-
pected their encircling drive to the
northward to accomplish the same end.
Their attack Of the north drew the
heaviest reply from the Chinese artil-
lery the Japanese have yet encountered
Many shells were dropped near the
Kiangwan race course where part OF
the Japanese headquarters and cavalry
and tank units were stationed The
race course Is about a mile east Of the
village.
The Chinese shells failed to register
direct hits on the Japanese positions,
but several shacks between the race
course and Gen. Uyedas headquarters,
just to the southeast, were set on FIRE
Shells also fell around Futan University,
where Gen. Uyeda was Quartered for
the night, and one blew a hole in the
road few yards from the university
entrance.
Gardens Are DesOIated.
Part of the area over which the bat
tie has been raging was Shanghais
chief vegetable garden and playground.
1t is now torn to pieces. The truck
gardens are torn up, the golf courses
and the race track churned to pieces
by the big shells. The Kiangwan race
track of the International Recreation
Club looked yesterday as If 1t had been
struck by Kansas twister. Cavalry
horses were in the betting booths and
fleet OF tanks cluttered up the golf
course. As far as one could see in all
directions were burning huts of Chi
nese truck gardens.
Here and there a tree stood alone In
fields where rice, beans and other vege-
tables are grown for the Shanghai mar
ket. But all the Chinese had left. The
road to the front was crowded with
refugees. They scarcely seemed human
as they hobbled along in rags. Many
were barefoot. They carried bundles
and babies strapped on their backs.
Women limped through the mud,
carrying staggering loads-all their
possessions. They had not the slightest
idea OF their destination; they merely
wanted to get away from the storm Of
shot and shell. They were evacuating
the beggars' villages which dot the road
and which were a picture of misery.
American Troops Fired on.
American soldiers and Marines guard
ing the northern border Of the Inter-
national Settlement spent yesterday
watchfully waiting and strengthening
their defenses against stray bullets and
shells as the battle approached nearer
their territory. Following . skirmish
between Chinese machine gunners and
Japanese armored car, the Americans
decided they needed more sand bags
and armor plate and they piled these
on until they themselves were virtually
buried within their defenses as night
fell
Men Of the 31st United States Infan-
try were fired on today as they strength
ened their barbed wire defenses, but
there were no casualties.
Chinese headquarters, after a COM
plant had been filed. explained that
the Americans were wearing blue uni
forms and the Chinese soldiers mistook
them for Japanese bluejackets.
The 31st United States Infantry was
transferred from Manila on such short
notice that there was no time to pro-
vide the men with clothing suitable to
the Shanghai climate. Some of them
have been wearing the blue dress uni
form on duty instead of the light cotton
drill khaki used in the tropics
To He Relieved Wednesday.
The 31st Infantry Is scheduled to be
relieved Wednesday by British forces,
which will take over the front line posts
in order to permit the Americans to
rest.
At the Chapel railroad station the
Americans rubbed elbows with the Chi
nese soldiers. They called back and
forth to each other and inquired toward
each others feelings with regard to the
conflict. A Chinese sergeant, answering
an Americans query, said 1t was NOV
ing entirely too slow for me-" While
the Chinese were STRENGTHENING their
lines q Chinese trooper fell victim to q
Japanese bullet and tumbled almost
within reach Of the American barFi-
cades while the Americans looked On.
Numerous bodies Of dead Chinese were