The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1937-10-28
Cliff Domke
Was Under
Fire China
Daily Papers Stated Carlton
College Student Witness
ed japanese Attack
HE WAS NOT INJURED
Chances of Getting To Shansi.
End of Journey, Look
Hopeless


the American Board in China, fol-
lowing press dispatches Friday
that Clifford Domke, Carleton col
lege student in Fenchow in North
China, had been among students
imperiled by japanese shells, are
his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Paul
Domke, here.
The report indicated that there
was no injury to the students, but
since that time there has been no
followup. Since then their custom
airy communication from the Amer
lean Board has not been received.
Meanwhile a ten-page typewrit-
ten letter was received by Clifford's
parents here last week in which
he views the war situation only
sparingly. The letter written Sept
ember 18th from Peiping where he
first taught Is an entertaining des-
cription of his trip from Vancouv-
er to China's interior. Only about
two weeks ago he was admitted
finally to go to Fenchow, in Shan
81. He writes, From all reports
from the Embassy lin Peiping)
and from the action Of the still un-
declared war, our chances Of get
ting into Shansi look very hope
less"
From the Japanese angle of the
war he writes on activities on the
Islands. He says he attended mo-
vie and, ut was CHASTITY the way
they portrayed 1t to the people so
it would arouse their sympathies
toward the militaristic regime"
That was his impression after he
had seen Japanese movies Of the
war.
At night, he states, in numerous
Japanese cities they stage mock air
raids Streets are darkened, the cit
izenry Is instructed, sirens scream,
and planes drone over head, Cliff
ford said. It's really very realistic"
what with the planes dropping
flares to mark possible bomb des-
truction. The women in Japan have
captured "the war spirit and the in
famed civilian patriotism" he
writes. They make waist bands Of a
thousand knots. They are sent to
the soldiers at the front as immun-
ity against harm.
Moving then onto China across
the Yellow Sea, Clifford arrived in
the port of Tangku August 3rd. He
saw brick buildings that had been
shelled; a smoke stack had been
stumped just below the roof: build
ings showed gaping holes. Horses,
soldiers, and army supplies choked
the docks, he wrote.
In attempting to get to Tientsin
he encountered trouble. Troop
trains moved all through the day
and night. Finally he and his
friends got onto train, where they
rode the baggage car, on nine
hour ride that should have taken
two. It was the first train through
since the bombing. (This was in
August that he writes).
His word picture of the general
unrest in China is aptly put in this:
All this time the war clouds were
rolling close and over our heads
Everyone was talking and thinking
war. 1t was inevitable, for the life
Of great country was at stake.
Through the entire gamut from
coolie to student to national figure,
all were wrought up over the in
vasion of the Japanese. Rumor was
rampant; true fact was difficult
thing to obtain; the radio was being
interferred with by the Japanese
made static; the newspapers were
doing the best they could under the
circumstances and with the CEN
sored news; truly, 1t was a vital
time to be in China"
Clifford closed his letter with
the explanation for his intentional
Continued On Page 10, Col. ~