Evening star., 1938-07-01
BOMBERS DAMAGE
S!WATOW HEAVILY
Raiders Drop More Than 100
MissiIes-Women and
Children Killed.
Ey the Associated Press,

Ey the Associated Press.
HONG KONG, July Mime big
Japanese bombers caused terrific de-
struction today in . raid on Swatow,
South China port northeast Of here.
The raiders, arriving at S pm, cir
cled over the city for an hour and 4
half. dropping more than 100 bombs.
Casualties ran high and hospitals
were overfiowing with wounded, but
trustworthy estimates of the death toll
were not Immediately available. Many
women and chilren were reported
killed.
The raid was believed by Chinese to
be the prelude to large-scale Japanese
operations in South China.
Raids Began June -.
The Japanese air raids on Swatow,
200 miles from Canton, began June AZ.
At the same time Japanese marines
occupied the Island of Namoa, 20
miles of Swatow. The United States
gunboat Asheville has been standing
by at Swatow for protection of Ameri-
cans, Of whom SO were reported in the
Swatow consular district, rs in Swatow
city.
The raid was on q much larger
scale and far more destructive than
any previous attacks on Swatow.
Eyewitness accounts received here
said the objectives appeared to be the
Mayors ofice. military headquarters
and the power station, but many
bombs, dropped from q considerable
height, landed in crowded residential
quarters.
Flyers Reconnoiter.
The population had some warning,
for six of the bombers reconnoitered
over the city for half an hour before
the bombing began. But then the
destruction assumed such proportions
that complete panic followed as build
ing after building went tumbling into
debris.
Chinese Abandon River Barrier.
SHANGHAI, July tP.-Foreign dis
patches said today the Chinese had
withdrawn from the Yangtze River
boom at Matowchen. ITS miles below
Hankow. but indicated Japanese occu-
patton Of the river defence was by no
means complete.
The advices said Chinese had en-
placed heavy guns in the hills over
looking the submerged barricade of
rock-filled junks and still held a COM
manding sweep Of the area. Chinese
artillery was said to be holding back
Japanese with a continuous shellfire.
japanese warships still were unable
to break through the boom, a Chinese
military spokesman said, but were
bombarding it and newly prepared de-
fense positions upriver.
Peace Talk at Hong Kong.
By Cable to The Star.
SHANGHAI, July l.-Peace talks
are under way at Hong Kong with the
participation of five foreign Ambas-
sadors and Ministers accredited to
China-British, German, Italian, swe-
dish and Swiss. It Is doubted here,
however. that China itself Is repre-
sented or that the parleys can have 4
successful outcome.
The main stumbling block is the
fact that, while China Is willing to
discuss peace, there Is no first-rAnking
Chinese who could be induced to sign
on the dotted line because Of the ter
rife repercussions that would result
throughout the country.
Sir Archibald Clark Kerr, British
Ambassador to China, and Oskar p.
Trautmann, recently recalled Ger
man Ambassador, are taking part in
the Hong Kong discussions. Traut-
mann stopped over on his way from
Hankow to Berlin to meet Sir Archi-
bald.
tCopyrisht, 1898. by Chicago Daily News
Inc.)