Evening star., 1937-11-30
JAPANESE SEIZE
us. BOAT, THROW
FLAG INTO RIVER
Shanghai Consul General
Denounces Action by Nip
ponese Navy.
ITALIANS AL so PROTEST
TWO VESSELS SEIZURE
America Probes Reports Duties
Are Cut at Tientsin on
Japans Goods.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI, Nov. 80. - American
Consul General Clarence E. Gauss pro-
tested to the japanese consulate today
after a Japanese naval crew seized an
American-owned steam launch and
lowered the crafts American flag.
The launch, owned by the China
Foreign Steamship Co., an American
frm and agent of the Roosevelt line,
was seized as it lay along the French
Bund.
It was understood Italian authori-
ties also protested against seizure of
two vessels flying the Italian flag.
William Hunt, steamship company
head, protested strongly to Consul
General Gauss against seizure of the
launch. He declared the japanese
'rough-housed" the Chinese crew
aboard the launch and then "delib-
srately pulled down the flag and tossed
It in the river
(The State Department withheld
comment today on the reported
seizure of the American launch
pending receipt of a full report of
the incident from American con-
sular officials.)
Bombs Kill S6 Children.
Earlier the French Ambassador said
that japanese air bombs had destroyed
. Catholic orphanage at Kashing and
killed s6 Chinese children.
He also said $50 refugees, French
sisters and Chinese sisters, who were
at the orphanage. were missing.
The reports came as the Japanese
continued their advance on Marking.
The Chinese defenders of the almost
deserted capital were reported falling
back to a line 40 to so miles east and
southeast of the city, with Japanese
columns in pursuit
The orphanage bombing took place
is days ago, but was reported today to
Ambassador Paul Emile Magyar by a
French and an italian father who
walked 10 days from Kashing to
Ningpo and boarded a vessel for
Shanghai.
Young Herded Into Dusouts.
During the attacks, the missionaries
said, the sisters herded their charges
Into dugout on the mission grounds,
but one bomb directly hit the dugout,
killing Is girls between the ages of 9
and Is, while another hit the nursery.
killing so babies and wounding 2 Chi
nese sisters.
Father Moulis of the Lazarist Mis-
sion headquarters said sisters took $50
other orphans and adults. including
some wounded, on a large skiff and
ned toward the interior. He expressed
fear for their safety as no word had
been received from them.
The missionaries said the orphanage
had no flag flying during the attacks
and was located close to the home of
Chinese Gen. Chang Fah-kwei, where
soldiers were constructing concrete
pillboxes.
Carmelite mission and a Lazarist
seminary nearby, flying a French flag,
were not bombed.
Retreat Nears Marking.
Japanese Army communiques said
the Chinese had retreated nearly to
the Chingkiang-Tanyang- -Kintan for
tifled line close to Nanking. The
Japanese gained ground steadily on
the central front, but were held up
ut the northern extremity.
They reported the capture of
kwangteh, about 100 miles southeast
OF Marking, and Kiangyin, about 80
miles east of the capital.
The main japanese column was ad-
vancing along the Marking Shanghai
railway near Tanyang. go miles from
.Nanking, after capturing Wutsin.
U. S. Probes Tariff Cuts.
By the Associated Press.
The State Department asked its
Consular representatives in China to-
day for information on a report that
customs rates at Tientsin, North China
port, had been reduced on a wide
range OF Japanese products.
If the report proves correct. Sin
formed sources said. it will mean Japan
already has started closing the open
door" OF commercial equality in China
Tor all foreign nations.
Fears here for the future of China's
open door" already has prompted the
United States Government to warn
Japan not to attempt changes in the
Chinese maritime customs system be-
fore consulting Washington.
The Japanese military now exercises
control over most of North China and
Shanghai, China's wealthiest seaport.
Secretary Hull revealed at his press
conference that this Government was
making inquiries concerning the
Teintsin report although he withheld