The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-07-08

This open clash came after many months of tension. In which Japan continued It's pressure on northern Chinese authorities and complained that 1t was subjected tc all sorts of provocations from Chinese stu- dents and other patriotic elements, .Japanese maneuvers were being held last night when the fighting oe- gan. -
 Chinese Fired First
 Chinese sources agreed With Jap Alicse that Chinese troops fired flrst last night. The Chinese version is that the region south and west 1, of peiping has been infested with |. I,andlts recently Late last night, it vag asserted Chinese scNtf.es saw ktenathy forms in the re)0s and or, ,l~rnd tbey were banAiea Nat il'hl 7 41li,ss ef t,e seaWieS, tut GhintSc
 efglssi had N, vas Co tirc, bu as 9 praaaisslon they challenged, T1ee NuS 10 answer GaGCpC % aIS..~S...e display of arms and the Chinese opened fire. The incident occurred along the railroad to the south, be- tween Peiping and Fengtai, l2 miles south of the old capital
 Japan Demands Apology
 The Japanese garrison comman- der at Fengtai called off the ma neuvers. He sternly demanded e Chinese apology, to be made on the spot where the firing occurred. and uunishment of the Chinese soldiers who did the firing. Japanese army headuuarters demanded that all the chinese troops be disarmed CT Che entire lot would be wiped out. .Japanese endorsements were sent to the scene from other areas where troops wre maneuvering. During k the fighting the telephone lines be- tween Peiping and Tientsin, on the coast to the east, were cut. Japan ese authorities announced they sscaii Chinese military authorities to account for these provocative acts" They said that two Japanese non- commissioned officers had been Killed and e lieutenant seriously wounded, in addition to other casu- alties. A Japanese officer, missing and believed killed, regained the Japanese lines safely.
 yauanese Trucks On Way
 Army trucks began roaring away from the Japanese embassy quarter iammed with steel-helmeted men of the embassy guard. to reinforce the Japanese troops In the fient area. At 3:30 p. m. officials or the Chinese Hopei- i-Chahar provin-. eiai government reported that Chinese casualties were known to fotai more than 200. Tension at Paiping increased rapidly. Direct ad- vices said that Chinese authorities elosed and barred the big eastern cate of the city and refused to onen 1t to permit entry of 300 Jasanese troops, recalled from ma neuvers.
 Troops Prepare to Go
 .Iananese army authorities here 0rdered 6 special train made reaoy' fo leave at any moment With troops. Chinese government authorities at Nanking charged that the Japanese deiiberately precipitated the trouble efter vainly seeking to buy land for an airdrome south of Peiping where the fighting occurred. Thor r,,rhlv reused, Chinese officials here showed a tendency to stand up fo the Japanese. Said Chin Teh- fsh,,n. mayor of Peiping: T hope xua can localize and settle this neacefully. But if the Japanese con- finue to attack, the Chinese army is certain to resist"
 No Advance Notice
 An official of the Hopei-Chahar ssrovincial council, the semi-auton- nunoas government at Peiping, charged to the United Press that .Tananese army authorities gave no advance notice to Chinese authori- lies that they were holding maneuv- mrs south of the city last right, when the fighting started.
 Other Chinese sources alleged that Japanese soldiers started the firing when the Chinese army com rnander refused them permission to enter a Chinese army area for their f1anuvers.
 Eleven Japanese war planes flew over Tientsin on their way to the efront" early tonight.
 Chinese police authorities here cancelled all police leaves. intimating that they feared Japanese-instigat- ed agitators might stir uprisings within the city.
 The entire Japanese garrison at Bungalow, east of Peiping, was or MaRed Co the trouble area. Two hum Bred more troops were sent from here by train early tonight in ad- alton to IS truckloads of men sent Hy highway.