The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-08-09
JAPS PLANNING
NEW CHINESE
WAR, CLAIM
Writer Says Attack Is
Set for August IS
In Chahar Area
Copyright, 1898. by International
News Service)

Copyright, 1898. by international
News Service)
PEIPING, Aug. 9 O.N.S).-In-
tense military preparations along
the Chahar-Jehol border, al
legedly for a Japanese-Manchu-
kuon invasion of Chahar province
of China, were recounted in an
exclusive interview today by Her
bert Mueller, prominent German
newspaper man just returned
from a tour of the area.
Mueller, who was kidnapped by
Monaghan bandits with Gareth
Jones, British journalist, and
later freed, declared sit is COM
mon gossip that a Japanese in
vasion of Chahar is scheduled for
August IS" Mueller at present
is aiding attempts to free Jones,
who still is held.
Tells His Story
Mueller's story of the military
activities and of the kidnapping
Of himself and Jones follows:
Upon our arrival at DOIOnOr,
In Chahar, near the Jeh0l
border, on the night Of July rs,
ManchukuO puppet regime sem
tries of this city mistOok us for
japanese and did not modest US.
Every house was flying Japa-
neSe and puppet regime flags
which had been recently dis
tributed, while one SignbOard
was marked Headquarters Of
the Eastern Chahar Autonomous
Administration
"AS many as 100 Japanese
Six-wheeI trucks, tanks, and
armOred cars entered DOlOnor
daily from JehoI from the
23d on, some going southwark
from there.
ut is common gossip a Japa-
nese invasion of Chahar is
scheduled for August Is along
two routes, one by way Of
Kuyanchicheng cut of the Kali
gan railway, and the other by
way of PaOchang and KaIgan.
PAN-ASIATIC UNIT
'White Russians drive mill
tary trucks, while an Indian
named Mai greeted us at the Of
flee Of the Kwangtung army. He
said he was there ON q special
mission, explaining he was as
ISOLATED with a pan.ASiatic
league which Japan heads.
Despite the fact we held mill
tary passes, japanese SentrieS
arrested us outside the city. At
headquarters after interrogation
we were informed we were
suspected of spying and making
notes. We were taken to our
hotel in Japanese trucks and
told to remain there until our
departure from the city.
"After declaring one road to
Kalgan was infested by bandits
and stating another was i'm
passabIe, the Japanese recon-
mended a detailed plan for
taking us through the district in
which we eventually were kid
naped.
Zone night our captOrs said
they decided to confess the
truth, and they said they actu-
ally were not bandits, but were
members of the First Branch
Battalion, which, together with
the second, is composed of KO-
reanS under japanese officers.
SET FOR TROUBLE
Each unit, 800 strong, re-
Gently entered Chahar to cause
trouble. They said we were
fortunate at meeting the First
rather than the Second Branch,
otherwise we would have been
killed.
"Our captOrs declared that,
even though they hated the JAP
anese, they were compelled to
serve them because their fam
lilies in Jehol Province, now con-
trOlled by Japan, faced retalia-
ton.
"These Koreans spent the eve
ningS singing patriotic Chinese
songs, and they ragged against
japanese activities in Chahar.
"ChineSe officials at PaOchang
explained they were unable to
attack our kidnapers because
the Japanese inspect the rifles
they get, and allow only 100 for
an entire district"
Mueller's story was relayed to
both the German and British
embassies, which are doing
everything possible to obtain
Jones release. The aid of jap
anese military authorities has
been sought.