Evening star., 1938-06-15


ported drowned, has draUn atten-
tion of t0orld. Advance of Jnpdn's
troops has beer checked BY the
Yello,D Rivers raging Daters.
Numerous breaks in the riper's
dikes hape been reported, NTH re-
sultdnt disaster.
Ey the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI, June 15.-Both Chinese
and Japanese armies were fleeing to-
day before a Yellow River flood that
could not be stopped either by guns
or bombs.
Splitting through immense breaches
in the river dikes between Chengchow
and Kaifeng, the flood waters rolled
for miles across the fiat plains Of
Honan Province, recognizing no man.
made barriers and carrying disaster
to millions of Chinese peasants as well
as to armies.
Japanese war dispatches said fully
100000 Chinese civilians had been made
homeless and estimated that $50 900
civilians had drowned.
Although some reports were re-
garded as highly exaggerated, there no
longer was doubt that property damage
and loss Of life would be widespread.
Turn to Life-Savinx.
Hundreds of floating corpses were
declared to be visible, and Japanese
troops were turning from war to life
saving. participating feverishly in
building RATS in an effort to save
Chinese peasants stranded on high
ground and house-tops.
Eerie scenes were pictured as refu-
gees splashed through the water
shrieking for aid
Tragedy long familiar to China was
being enacted as farmers, fleeing be-
fore the relentless current, were
trapped and drowned in their homes
and fields.
Delayed Japanese dispatches said
the rapidly rising flood was coursing
In a southeasterly direction from
Chungmow.
1t was believed the towns of Yushih,
Tungsu and Kihsien soon would be
directly threatened.
Barrier to Troops.
These towns are on the route over
which Japanese column recently
thrust at the Peiping- -Hankow railway
near Changko in an effort to Gu. the
railroad between Chengchow and Han
kOw, the Chinese provisional capital
800 miles south.
Flowing over the east-west Iunghai
railway, in some places at depth Of
feet, the onrushing waters inter-
posed a complete barrier to a jap
anese advance on Chengchow and to
their push farther south toward the
vital north-south Peiping Hankow
line.
For the moment Kaifeng, to which
Japanese troops had been forced to
retreat. was declared to be safe, though
surrounded by high water. Kaifeng
Is 43 miles east of Chengchow.
Japanese military spokesmen offered
no information on exact whereabouts
OF their troops in the flood area,
although it was assumed most Of them,
with motorized equipment, would be
able to avoid the main course Of the
flood
Organization Efforts.
The Japanese Army spokesman said,
More Chinese civilian lives than the
Japanese could ever jeopardize by
bombing are being placed in imme-
diate danger"
Facing danger more violent than
that of war by remaining at their
posts, foreign missionaries at Kaifeng
were making efforts to organize Chi
nese farmers and civilians in combat
ting the waters.
Relief workers said the flood per-
haps would bring a problem as great
as that created by the war
An estimated 100000 refugees
already were streaming westward from
war demolished homes before water
forced out other thousands from scores
Of villages.
About $50 miles south of the flood
area Japanese continued a relentless
drive up the Yangtze River toward
Hankow.
Ships Forge Up River.
They claimed to have routed 800
Chinese troops intrenched at Meitan-
shan, miles north of Anking, cap
tured Anhwei Province capital, and
210 miles southeast of Hankow.
Japanese warships slowly forged up
the river toward Matowchen, IS miles
upstream, where Chinese have thrown
the first boom across the river.
At Kiukiang the U. S. gunboat
Monocacy stood by to protect American
interests despite Japanese warnings
to third powers to remove their ships
from the area newly-declared a war
zone.
At Hong Kong the Chinese officially
claimed two Chinese bombers had sunk
two Japanese warsf1ips near Anking
Monday. and severely battered two
others in surprise air raid.