Evening star., 1939-07-06
japanese Air Force
Bombs Chungking and
South China Cities
50 Killed or Injured in
Capitol; 80 Missiles
Dropped by Planes
b. the Associated Press.

Japanese air forces IN China en-
gagged in widespread activity yes
terday and today bombing the Chi
nese capital. Chungking, and a half
dozen South China cities as Chi
nese reported that their forces at
the port Of Foochow had prevented
Japanese warships from reaching
the city.
The populace Of Chungking swell
tered in dugouts for two hours
early today as four successive waves
of japanese bombers dropped 80
demolition and incendiary bombs.
Three large fires were started.
Fifty persons were killed or injured.
Two bombs hitting the French Cath
olic Mission caused apparently the
only damage to foreign property.
American and other Embassies and
Consulates were untouched although
a fire blazed a half block away.
Casualties Small.
Casualties and damage were small
because of a safety program which
has included criss crossing Chung
king with broad fire lanes, reduction
of the civil population through emf
grafton and construction of solid
rock shelter caves.
The raid was the first in Is days.
Fleecy clouds screened the bomb
ers except Immediately above the
city. where they were fired at but
apparently untouched by Chinese
anti aircraft guns.
Fenghua, birthplace of Generals
simo Chang Kai-shek, and Khan,
where Chang Chin-ko, the general
issimo's son, commands a Chinese
army unit. were among the half
dozen South China cities heavily
bombed yesterday.
Reports received at Hong Kong
said casualties were light but ma
terial damage heavy. japanese air
raiders also bombed Shaosii.ing, Che
kiang province, China's most famous
wine-producing center.
Guerillas Get Arms.
A japanese Army spokesman In
Shanghai asserted today that
Chinese guerilla forces in the vi
cinity of Shanghai were receiving
an "inexhaustible supply" of arms
and ammunition through the In
ternational Settlement and the
French concession.
The spokesman alleged that both
foreign and Chinese merchants
within the foreign areas were re-
ceiving arms consignments to be
forwarded to the guerillas. although
japanese surround the entire area
and have controlled" the city for
nearly two years.
The spokesman said he was un-
able to describe details of the traffic,
but said the arms were transshipped
to the guerlllas by boat.
The spokesman asserted 10000
guerillas still were operating within
25-mile radius of Shanghai.
although 1900 had been killed in
the first five months of the year.
Foochow Attack Began June 2S.
japanese began naval and land
operations to occupy Foochow, Fu-
klen province port, on June %, land
ing on islands dominating the mouth
of the Min River, on which FoochoW
is situated.
Chinese said that since that time
air and naval bombardment had
failed to silence Chinese forts which
barred japanese ships from the river.
Because Of this. japanese were ex-
pected to rely mainly on overland
attack from the seacoast.
Capt. j. T. G. Stapler. commander
of the United States Navy's South
China patrol, reported that three
Americans and five other foreigners
had been taken out of besieged Foo
chow by the United States gunboat
Asheville and the British destroyer
Duchess. At the mouth of the Min
River the refugees were trans
ferred to a British merchantmen.
Stapler's report did not name the
Americans. He indicated that no
more Americans intended to leave
Foochow.
Returning to Annoy.
Stapler was returning to Annoy,
south of Foochow, where the jap
anese Navy has been blockading
the international settlement of Ku-
langsu, and the United States, Bri-
tain and France have naval parties
ashore to match the Japanese land
ing party there.
Annoy reports indicated little hope
of breaking the deadlock there un-
til the British-Japanese conference
scheduled to open soon in Toxic,
with the Tientsin dispute between
the two powers the main subject of
discussion, reaches a conclusion.
British circles at Hankow received
reports that Clifford Winterbottom.
chief officer of the British steamer
Changsha, was held by Japanese
who accused him of insulting be-
havior' toward Japanese.