The Coolidge examiner., 1939-06-29
Continued from Page One)

started IN them the reSult cAnH W
be described. because word nv
words anyway-fail me
After the second bombing I got
to the rim Of the fire. No one
could go further. Three-quarterS
of a square mile Of houses were iE
flames. Wall after wall tumblcd
down Tongues of fire on every
side leaped and cracked and de-
voured-furniture woodwork, every
thing. Every few seconds a roof
dshed in emitting showers of
sparks, and quantities of black
smoke. AS though driven by the
insensate fury of perpetrators OF
this crime flames kept consuming
block after block of houses. Two
streets converged and as both were
blazing the roaring flames met and
roared with renewed fury. Strong
| uSlo VI w illu CdI lCu lIC itoPItS
sparks into neighboring streets.
From where I stood, I could see
the whole east side of the city
burning. The fires ragged for hours.
At dawn the sky was still angry
with crimson light-crimson with
fire, and, indeed, with the blood Of
the thousands of victims who
perished.
Fathers. mothers watched their
children burnt alive. Other chill
dren saw their parents struggling
to fight across the flames only to
disappear in the ruins of falling
beams and pillars.
The cries and shrieks of the dy
ing and the wounded resounded in
the night, muffled only by the
| incessant roar of the every-hunsry
fires. Hundreds tried to escape by
climbing the old city wall, but were
caught blythe pursuing flames, and
as If by magic, were shrivelled into
cinders.
On top Of the cliff above the
old city wall stands the German
Consolate. thought every moment
it would disappear in a swift puff
of flame. The people there had a
bad time of it, the worst being their
inability to help the numerous
Chinese who were being burned to
death in full sight of them near
the old wall down below.
Everyone was helpless, even the
fire fighters. They used up all the
water out of the reservoir, and bad
to depend upon wells. A bomb
broke a main and the reservoirs
could not be refilled. Numerous
foreigners connected with missions
worked all night helping to save
the people. 1t wass a terrible
holocaust, and perhaps quite salts
factory to the japanese. whose lust
to kill is not yet satisfied.
Next day, and the days follow
ing, strenuous efforts were made
to clear the few streets, and eX-
hume the dead. The latter WORK
will take some time. Meanwhile the
stencil is increasing and living in
the vicinity is impossible. AS |
write rain is falling. 1t may help
out by finally subduing the
smouldering debris and assist the
searchers.
But the spirit of the people is
magnificent Never word of
complaint nor muttered discomfort.
1t seems as though the bodies of
our people are being crucified but
the spirit is being baptized in fire
and blood.
If the Japanese think that they
can brow-beat us by such in
humane and deliberate cold bloodcd
murder they are vastly mistaken.
The Government and the people
are pulling as one.
AS soon as the bombing raids
were finished the Generaliss imo
commandeered all cars and trucks
belonging to organizations and in
dividuals - including his own
private motor car and mine-to he
put into use for transporting
refugees outside of the city.
Everywhere food stations sprang
up as if conjured into being,
manned by various organizations
and volunteer workers
Our women were wonderful.
After almost two years of war,
when they would justifiably be
allowed to succumb to hysteria and
nervous prostration, they have held
out and have been cheerful and