Evening star., 1937-12-22
j. s. SHIPS READY
TO EvACUATE 500
IN TS|NGTAOPO
Japanese Bombers Roar
Over City as Fear of New
Attack Grows.
AMERICANS ADVISED
BY OFFICIALS TO LEAVE
Outer Mongolian Dispatches Say
soviet-Infuenced Government
Will Aid China.
BACKGROUND

japanese, hauing extended their
conquest to Marking and south to
Hangchoto Bay, are no1o engaged in
cleaning up spots In north Which
had not been captured during
northern driUe. Sunday the pros
pect OF japanese attempt to en-
ter Tsingtao caused tpo American
tDarships to be dispatched to north
ern port to protect 300 Americans
in TSingtGo consular district.
Chinese had threatened to destroy
s300,000,000 OF japanese property
there.
By the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI, Dec. %. - Japanese
bombers roared today over the indus.
trial seaport of Tsingtao, where three
United States warships stood by tc
evacuate the 300 Americans there, il
necessary.
United States consular authorities
advised Americans to leave as fears
increased that japanese would attack
the city in retaliation for destruction
of japanese cotton mills by Chinese
troops. The United States cruiser
Marblehead, the destroyer Pope and
the gunboat Sacramento were in the
harbor of the city, which is 800 miles
north of Shanghai
Reports that 10000 japanese troops
had left Shanghai for an unknown
destination and that 80 transports
were ready for additional troops gave
impetus to fears that Tsingtao, as well
as other of China's coastal cities,
would be attacked.
The japanese planes. apparently
making a accommodating flight, dis
appeared shortly and had not returned
later in the day. Tension caused by
their appearance, however, remained
high.
Chinese Plan Resistance.
Chinese set fire to dormitories con-
nected with the cotton mills. Authori-
ties repeated that they intended to
resist Japanese to the utmost in case
of an attack.
A japanese Army spokesman an
nounced that he hoped" Japanese
would capture Hangchow, seaport
south of Shanghai, before New Year
Day, and expressed the wish that
Chinese would withdraw from the
city to prevent possible destruction of
Its famous religious structures.
United States authorities at Shang-
hal and Toxic notified Japanese that
a f1ag-decorated train carrying 300
foreign refugees, some of whom were
Americans, would leave Hankow for
Canton tomorrow. The train was due
at Canton from the interior city on
Christmas Day.
There were persistent Chinese press
reports of impending aid for China
from Soviet Russia. One report said
100000 laborers were building new
highway through Chinese Turkestan
to permit China to bring in military
supplies from Russia despite severance
of old caravan routes through Japa-
nese occupation of North China.
In Hankow, one of the three Chinese
temporary capitals, newspapers pub
lished Outer Mongolian dispatches
saying the Soviet-influenced govern
ment there had decided to assist
China because japanese operations in
Inner Mongolia menaced Soviet in
tereSts
Toxic to Issue Statements.
Aftar dacorihip-, fha;r x,ore;o,, of %ha
role played by the Japanese Army in
the japanese attacks December IL on
the United States gunboat Panay and
three Standard Oil vessels, Japanese
officials said that henceforth state
ments on the incident would be issued
only at Toxic.
The army, navy and Embassy
spokesmen said army general head
quarters still was conducting an in
vestigation, but that findings would
be disclosed at the Japanese capital
The army spokesman said that be-
fore the bombing of the Panay on the
Yangtze River above Nanking, army
authorities had notified the navy that
Chinese vessels were fleeing upstream
from Nanking and requested that navy
planes strafe them.
American sources reported that Col
Kingoro Hashimoto had been replaced
as commander of Japanese forces at
Wuhu, but it was not known where he
had been transferred.
The Japanese Army spokesman said
he had no information as to whether
Hashimoto or any other officer had
been recalled as q result of the Panay
incident
u. S. Probe Near End.
Sources on the U. S. flagship Au-
eusta said the United States inquiry
on the Panay bombing was nearly
finished. 1t was understood the find
81 ings would be messaged to Wash
ington.
Chinese survivors of the bombings,
most of them suffering from exposure,
arrived in Shanghai.
One of three Japanese columns
approaching Hangchow, seaport south
Of Shanghai. broke through Chinese
lines at point only 80 miles from the
city. The only Japanese announce
ment on progress of hostihties said
japanese planes bombed a Chinese
airdrome at Lanchow, in Yunnan
and destroyed IA planes, said to be
of Soviet manufacture.
The British cruiser Capetown, pro-
ceeding down the Yangtze from Han
kow, reported it had on board l man
21 women and 26 children refugees
It was believed here that all were
British.
Tert of former Secretary OF State
Stimso1's letter expressing concern
about the LudLofp mar referendum