Evening star., 1937-12-08
NANK|NG,
JAPANESE WARN
ALL FOREIGNERS
Hosti|ities Are Seen Likely
to EnguIf Capital Any
Moment.
THOUSANDS HUDDLED
IN REFUGEE DISTRICT
Ultimatum Is Reported Prepared
Demanding Surrender of
Besieged City.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Chinese haze prepared for last
tho ,Ueeks to make final decisipe
stand against Japanese inpdSion
at Marking, capital from 1Dhich
Chinese government moued to up
per Yangtse Riuer tolUnS as in
pdders approached from Shang-
hal, iuhich tell after three-month
heroic defense BY Chinese. Toxic
government refuses to initiate
peace steps, but expresses wiU-
ingness to consider peace il China
asks for negotiations.
By the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI, Dec. 8.-Japanese
authorities tonight warned all for
eigners and Chinese non-c -combatants
to evacuate beleaguered Nanking as
quickly as possible.
"Hostilities may engulf the city
any moment" they said.
Through Suemasa Okamoto, jap
anese consul general at Shanghai,
the authorities requested representa-
tives of foreign powers, including the
United States, to inform their re-
spective nationals of the impending
struggle in the evacuated Chinese
capital.
United States Consul General
Clarence E. Gauss transmitted the
Il fn n,-,n Il
lomatic representatives at Nanking
and informed Washington of the de-
velopment. There were II Americans
in Marking.
Cannot Give Assurances.
The japanese said they considered
the former capital "one large fortifi-
cation and therefore could not give
the Chinese non-combatants and for
elgners the assurance of safety in the
so-called refugee zone.
Thousands of Chinese, who took no
active part in the defense of the city,
were huddled in the refugee district.
Persons therein should evacuate, y
the Japanese spokesman said. "If
war engulfs the area the japanese
cannot be held responsible"
While indicating that a ma jor strug-
gle for the former capital was immi-
nent. the japanese said today brought
no major developments in that Sec
tor. about 180 miles west and slightly
north Of Shanghai.
Ultimatum Plan Reported.
Reports through japanese channels
said the Japanese command would
issue an ultimatum demanding sur
render of beleaguered Nanking to
avoid q heavy toll of life and possible
destruction of the city.
The reports declared the ultimatum
would ask Chinese Gen. Tang Shen-
chi commander of the Nanking gar
rlson, to surrender the city and 3o0,-
600 Chinese soldiers.
japanese columns, Chinese asserted.
were repulsed in attempts to storm two
OF Markings gates with 1000 casual
ties.
Some $4,000 japanese we're gath
cred about the city, where approx
mately 100000 Chinese faced them.
Air BOmbings Continue.
While ground forces closed in on
Marking, japanese airmen continued
their bombardment of points in the
Yangtze River valley.
Wuhu, major port above the capi-
tai, was being surrounded, Japanese
said. The city, where a number of
Americans and foreigners remained
despite war dangers, was bombarded
several times.
cat Tientsin, in North China. a
japanese economic adviser declared
the japanese, after restoration of
peace, probably would levy a heavy
indemnity on China. He suggested
that Japan might accept control
of China's railways for the next 10
years or operate the railways until
the indemnity is paid.'O
Japanese residents of Shanghai
prepared huge celebration with a
parade through the japanese occupied
Hongkew area of the International
Settlement when Nanking falls.
United States Marines marched
around the race course in a review
the first since Shanghai hostilities
started,