Evening star., 1937-08-22
Shanghai
Continued from Page F-l.)

Automatic telephones were jus
finding their way in to China In 1882
I have often wondered what has hap
pened to the Chinese operators who
asked Number please?" and whether
the question was answered by q Chi
Frcnchman, invariably the connection
was made. Sometimes you did get the
wrong number. but that happens tn
Washington, too.
WHEN the bombing first started IN
w 1892, We would 60 up on the roof
At night and watch the flames. It
seemed that the entire native city
must be burning, but later we found
that only q comparatively small area
Was badly damaged. The flames made
the entire sky as bright IS day, and
sometimes, while you watched. you
would see what appeared to be large
black bird. In a moment, however,
there would be an explosion and An
other great fame would leap up and
you would know the bird had been .
japanese bombing plane.
Foreigners were soon warned not tn
take these frst-hand views, because
apparently both sides had not had
enough target practice and their aim
was bad.
Some friends who lived on Whang-
poo road directly across from the jap
aneee consulate had dinner party
one night. Half way through the
main course shells began to whistle
over the house We soon realized that
the Chinese long-range guns were
concentrating on the consulate. We
decided that We were close enough to
be safe because the gunners would
never find their target, so We finished
our dinner. The next day . shell
missed the flagship Idzumo, anchored
in the Whangpoo directly in back OF
the consulate, by inches. The 1dxumo
Is back in Chinese waters again while
this present diplomatic difference Of
opinion Is being settled.
A FTER awhile the fighting got too
mcomfortably close to our Kiangse
road apartment and I went to stay
with Alma Ekins at Frenchtown. Bud
(as H r. Ekins Is known to his friends)
had q cot moved in his ONCE and did
not come home. except for An occa-
sionel hot meal, for about 10 days
The newspaper men were as well or
gAnised as the defense forces, each
correspondent having his own little
group Of lieutenants and scouts. 1t
took full stAf1 to trace down and sort
out the rumors and follow up the ories
that looked like stories.
The first night WAS at the Ekins'
marked the heaviest fighting Of the
entire incident" Alma and I sat up
AL night discussing Just where we
would 60 and what We would do Il our
husbands sent us OF, as they wanted
to do, as soon As the authorities ad-
viSed removing women and children
from the AREA. It Is funny that even
though We were scared to death, We
didn't want to leave. We really didn't
think We would be made to 60, but
before the night was over we had
talked ourselves into quite q frenzy OF
enthusiasm over being refugeed
"homeside." /
All that night Is we sat huddled be.
fore the fireplace trying to locate the
battle from the sound of the eunfre i
as one judges the nearness of An elec-
trio storm. We were called to the phone
by Maude Brown, who Is foster sister
Of Mabel Walker Willebrandt. Maudis
lived In a neishboring compound and
was alone in the house with her three
children. Every time there would b
q new outburst Of firing she would call
" and ask where we thought 1t was.
There being two Of US, We fooli&hly
felt more secure and would tell Maudis
70 think nothing Of it. '.
(see SHANGHAI, Page F.k)