Evening star., 1933-01-11
POWERS MENACED
BY JEHOL INVASION
Clash With Foreign Citizens
Seen as Inevitable in
New War Zone.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.


The Japanese advance into Jehol ane
the proposed occupation of the city oi
Engyuan Is considered by those whc
follow closely the operations of the
Japanese army in Manchuria as an at
tempt Of the general staff to ayoic
operations toward Peiping and Tient.
sin.
The occupation Of the Chiumenkov
pass has facilitated the attempt of the
Japanese to operate in Jehol alone
but has by no means solved their diff
cult strategic problem.
Jehol could be occupied BY an ad-
vance Of the Japanese Army from Chin
chow along the motor road going
through Chihfeng to Chengtehfu (Jehol
City, and finally leading to the most
important pass which separates Jehol
from China, the Kupeikow pass.
Through that pass goes the only
motor road by which the Chinese gov
ernment could send troops and war
materials into Jehol to oppose a Japa-
nese invasion. At present there are
some 10000 men of Marshal Chang in
Jehol ana 1t is expected that they will
offer stubborn opposition to the in
vading troops.
May Flank Chinese.
But should the Chinese opposition
prove such as to cause the japanese
too heavy losses it Is believed in mill
ta-y quarters that they may stop any
further advance into Jehol proper and
will try to turn the Chinese fianks BY
a movement toward Tientsin and
Peiping thus cutting off all commmuni-
cations between the rest of China and
Jehol by the occupation Of the Hupei-
kow Pass from the Peiping side Of the
pass.
In view of this possibility. the Japa-
nese army has advanced within a few
miles OF Chinwangtao and this city
could be occupied without much effort.
Inc Japanese government Is trying
TO impress upon the general staff the
necessity Of avoiding if possible military
operations in the Peiping area on ac-
count Of the possible international COM
plications which might be caused by
military operations In a densely popu-
lated province where most of the world
nations have important interests.
Apprehension Felt.
But at the same time the foreign
Office in Toxic is subservient to the gen
eral staff and has taken all the neces-
sary steps to prove to the world that
the military operations in the Peiping-
Ttentsin district were forced upon
Japan by the truculent attitude of the
Chinese warlords. The japanese gov
eminent has embarked upon a great
adventure, and Is willing to face a bar
rage of diplomatic note and communi-
cations for the good cause of the jap
anese empire.
A possible advance of the japanese
Army into the Peiping area is regarded
with much apprehension by all the for
eign Offices of the powers which have
important interests in China.
It seems that it will be extremely Diff
fcult to avoid incidents Of serious ma
ture.
A somewhat unimportant but in
dicative incident has already occurred
on the occasion of the occupation of
Shanhaikwan by the Japanese troops
last week.
Americans In Danger.
The building Of an American Meth
odist Mission situated in that town has
been reported to have been occupied by
Japanese soldiers and used for war p,,r-
poses. AS it happened, fortunately, the
American missionaries had already left
and the building was in charge of some
converted Chinese.
The incident Is without much imme-
date significance, but other such incl
dents are likely to occur when Japanese
troops march and fight through a terri
tory where there are many educational
and business establishments belonging
TO citizens Of the United States.
AS long as the Japanese troops are
under the eye Of senior officers. as was
the case In Shanghai last Spring, the
Japanese VIII undoubtedly avoid inter-
fering with the interests of American
citizens. But when an army is operat-
ing on large scale In a vast territory.
as the one which extends from the sea
TO north of Peiping, commanders of
smaller units will find 1t hard to pre-
vent outrageS Of enthusiastic soldiers.
The situation is particularly true in
regard to the American citizens there,
Clash Inevitable.
:, The japanese press has been hitting
the war gong against the United States
pretty hard in the last IL months
while the Japanese government. on the
whole. Is anxious to maintain normal
relations with the United States, an
intense anti-American propaganda has
oeen going on in Japan lately.
Inc troops which are operating In
emma now are new troops freshly
brought over from Japan and they do
not Know what the interests Of the
TOXIC foreign office are. AL they know
Is that America has been described to
tnem by the press and by the lectures
they hear either in the barracks or
outside as the enemy of Japan, and it
Is In that frame OF mind that they will
act when they come across either Amer
lean citizens or American property.
IL Is mostly on that account that the
possibility of a japanese invasion of
the portion Of China outside the wall
Is regarded with apprehension in GER
TAIN quarters in Washington, and such
an operation is considered by those who
Keep In close touch with the japanese
military movements as inevitable.