Evening star., 1932-02-23
JAPANESE SEEN :
Staying CIVILIANS
Reign of Terror Found in
KiangWan, With Chinese
Women Among Victims.
BY MORRIS J. HARRIS.

(copyriEht. 1899, By the Associated PressD
SHANGHAI, February 23-I visited
the No-Man's Land north Of the village
Of Kiangwan today. where most of the
heavy fighting has taken place during
the last two or three days, and found
here the marks Of a reign Of terror.
In the middle Of the war-torn area
saw an old Chinese woman sitting in
on open field, weeping and wringing
her hands, ignorant of all but the stark
est externals of what was going on
about her and entirely helpless to pro-
tect herself.
Some distance 10 the right a Japanese
soldier appeared, while I was looking,
followed by several more, close behind
The leading soldier raised his rifle,
aimed at the woman and fired.
He missed. The woman continued to
weap, her face buried in her hands.
The rifieman leisurely aimed again and
fired. This time he scored with deadly
accuracy His bullet sent the helpless
victim into eternity. His comrades
pushed forward.
Dead With Hands Tied.
As 1 entered the area japanese
stretcher bearers were bringing out the
Japanese casualties. A group passed
every few minutes. Half of the forms
on the stxetchers apparently were dead.
In the meantime other Japanees bands
were laying waste any remaining prop
erty within the area.
Large numbers Of Chinese dead could
be seen before the burning ruins of
what had been their homes 1 saw 10
Chinese dead piled beside q cart path.
OF all Of them were tied behind their
backs.
passed the burning ruins of the
nome of peasant. The fire had
burned down almost to the ground. In
front of it were the bodies of an old
man and woman, apparently its former
Farther on passed another burning
homestead. In front of it were scat
tered five dead Chinese, including one
woman.
In Hands OF Military.
returned to the vicinity of the jap
anese headquarters in time to see a
group of soldiers bringing in Chinese
man dressed in civilian clothes His
stay there was brief. After being
threatened with bayonets, swords and
pistols he was led away with a jap
aneSe soldier waving menacing
bayonet behind him.
Japanese consular officials denied to-
day the accuracy of statement printed
in the American-owned Evening Post
Mercury under the signature of T. o.
Thackery, managing editor, saying that
he saw japanese officers killing Chinese
at the International Race CLUB.
The consular officials said the race
club area had been under fire for two
days and it was not likely any Chinese
civilians we're in the vicinity yesterday.
Japanese officers, before launching their
attack, warned the civilians to depart,
they said.
They added they had no knowledge
of executions. Such matters, they ex-
planned, were entirely in the hands OF
the military.
Says Account Exaggerated.
Charges by the Post Mercury brought
from high japanese officer today the
assertion that they are much exagger-
ated and in some portions untrue
The Japanese have been forced to
take drastic measures to curb the ac-
tivities of plain clothes snipers, said
Mai. M. Hirata, speaking for Gen.
Uyeda, the commander In chief, and in
some cases they have found that women
and children are helping the snipers.
We have read . translation OF the
we greatly regret the incorrect i'm
preston it has conveyed. Since taking
command of the Shanghai situation
Gen. Uyeda has instructed his men on
several occasions to avoid irresponsible,
inhuman acts.
The japanese troops came to Shang-
hal thoroughly imbued with high moral
a fight for permanent
peace. They are incapable OF such
acts as those described in this news
paper article.
Some Unfortunate Incidents.
"Of course it has been impossible to
avoid some unfortunate incidents. In
some cases the women themselves were
caught shooting at us. This morning
in a ditch we found the bodies of two
of our men who had been ambushed in
the night and so horribly mutilated that
they were not recognizable. Yesterday
four of our Red Cross men were
wounded when snirers fred from q
house nearby.
Like your OI1lCagO SdHBSCeIS, OHl-
nese snipers an paid so much head
and in order to- wipe them out we have
had to burn down the buildings which
harbor them. One reason for heavy
among civilians is that many
snipers run at the appearance
of japanese soldiers. With this in mind
it is not difficult to understand why
some civilians in plain clothes have
been shot in the back"
Set Fire to House.
While the major was talking with
the Associated Press correspondent
there was a burst Of rife fire outside
the headquarters. A messenger re-
ported that snipers had opened fire
from a house in the neighborhood
Soldiers set fire to the house and
killed two Chinese they found inside
you see?" said the major. This is
but we can't confine our
selves to fighting the 18th Army. The
sniping menace is almost as serious.
They swarm In our rear lines and fire
on our men. They are assisted by
women and children, who smuggle food
and ammunition to them"