Evening star., 1938-08-28
ASSASS|NS HINDER
CH|NA'S NEW RULE
Mortality Rate High Among
Chinese Officials in
Japanese Regimes.
BY LLOYD LEHBRAS,

Associated Press Foreisn Correspondent
SHANGHAI. The mortality rate
among Chinese officials OF japanese
sponsored local governments has made
Japan's task of organizing puppet ad-
ministra tions slow and dificult.
More than a dozen such officials
have been assassinated and attempts
have been made on the lives OF more
than a score of others.
Chinese. described by their country
men as patriots" even have made
one attempt on the life of the head
OF the japanese sponsored Peiping
government in North China. But so
far their bombs and bullets have failed
10 remove any member OF the two
maj jor puppet regimes. that at Peiping
and another at Marking, former capi-
tai Of China
Most Of Japan's Chinese puppet Of
ficials we're opponents OF the national
government OF Generalissimo Chang
Kai-shek Others were members OF a
pro-Japanese clique or were opportu-
nists. Some. Chinese say. were draft
ed at the risk OF losing their property
or to save themselves and their fam
lilies from harm
Live in Fear Of Lives.
Those in Shanghai live in daily fear
l,A,~
the patriots blacklist and move
with utmost caution. All stick close
to Japanese occupied territory or the
international areas of Shanghai.
Despite extreme vigilance of Inter-
national Settlement troops and po-
lice and their building up building
searches for suspects. guns and bombs
more than 4 dozen Chinese connected
with the Greater Shanghai Municipal
Council and other organizations CO.
operating with the Japanese have been
killed. As many more have been
wounded or have narrowly escaped
gunmen.
The puppet governments are mere
shadow governments, unrecognized
by any foreign power and lacking in
any real authority.
Despite their furtive existence. for
eign governments take up questions
concerning Japanese occupied terri
tory with the Japanese Embassy, Con-
sulate General or directly with Japa-
nese military officers.
Military Real Rulers.
After more than q year the Japa-
nese dominated regimes still are dis
organized, Intellectual and only q
'front.' for the real rulers, the Japa-
nese military. When individual for
eigners must deal with local authori-
ties they find invariably that Japa-
nese "co-director" or a japanese "ad-
wiser" Is on hand to handle the matter.
The confusing. interlocking. over
tapping number of governments" pro-
vide more government than ever before
in the history Of China, which for CEN
turtles has attempted to get along with
the least possible government.
The United States, Great Britain.
France and other powers still recog-
nize Chang Kai-sheks national gov
ernment, with its temporary capitals
at Hankow and Chungking. as the
only legal government in China.
But Japan vests authority in the So
called Peiping provisional government
and the reformed government Of
China" at Marking which, they have
announced, they hope to amalgamate
into a central regime as soon as the
area between Peiping and Nanking
Is fully under control.
Pending such a merger the Peiping
and Nanking regimes try to keep from
stepping on each others toes. Ac-
tually they give almost no government
to the scores Of millions Of Chinese
living in the areas over which they
claim jurisdiction.
Great Way" Regime.
The Shanghai area outside the In
ternational Settlement and French
Concession has been made subject to
separate agency, launched as the
Ta-Tao (Great Way regime. There
Is more government in this area than
elsewhere because the large economic