| Show Troops Rush to Front for Big Shanghai Fight Americans British Leave Danger Zones as Artillery Fire Covers Movements of Opposing Forces B By United Press Americans and British residents began evacuating the danger areas of the international settlement in Shanghai as the hour drew near 6 p. p m. m E. E S. S T. T today for the major battie battle battle bat bat- tle tie of Shanghai The Chinese rejecting the Japanese ultimatum began beian shelling on the Chapel front and the Japanese replied Under Under Un Un- der tier cover of the artillery firing troops munitions and supplies supplies sup sup- plies poured toward the front for the battle Chiang Shek Kai-Shek Chinese generalissimo with government leaders at and urged the Chinese troops to fight figh t. t The British cabinet met to consider the situation The League Learue council convened privately at Geneva By II R. R EKINS Copyright 1932 By United Press SHANGHAI Feb 19 A 19 A brisk artillery artillery ar ar- ar- ar tillery duel between the Chinese and Japanese batteries on the northeast Chapel front began tonight prelude to the big battle set for lor Saturday morning The bombardment was expected to continue intermittently all night long and American and British residents began evacuating the threatened areas of the international settlement The Thc Chinese shells started several fires near the gardens in inside in- in inside side the Japanese defense area of the settlement The missions and St. St Lukes Luke's hospital in the area were evacuated d inside the French concessions well away from the danger zone The Ja Japanese anese guns guns' were at the busiest diverting the attention of ot the Chinese batt batteries ries while final preparations preparations preparations prep prep- prep prep- were made for Lor the battle the Chinese having defiantly rejected reject reject- ed the Japanese ultimatum The Japan Japanese se lines inside the settlement settlement set set- were active A constant stream of ol olive olive drab rab trucks sped to toward toward toward to- to ward the front lines with ammunition ammunition tion and supplies SOLIDARITY SHOWN Further indications of ol Chinese solidarity solidarity sol sot in the face of the serious J Japanese Japanese Jap Jap- p- p anese menace to China were given today The most significant was the return of ol Chiang Kai Shek recent president and still the Chinese generalissimo generalissimo gen gen- to where he con- con 14 W UI F W. b tive head of the government Lo Wen-Kan Wen foreign minister and others others oth oth- ers at the foreign office ce Chiang who has been in the background background back back- ground of at the struggle if not actively active active- ly opposing the resistance of the army described the ultimatum today today to to- to da day as a humiliating blow to the Chinese people as well as to International international international inter inter- national treaties The Chinese troops must resist to the best of their ability he de de- de- de dared Chang Charig told the government conference con con- ference that the local authorities at Shanghai had been instructed to re reject reject reject re- re the Japanese demands as manifestly man uman manifestly impossible to accept The Chinese replies rejecting the Japanese ultimatum were delivered at 7 pm pin 6 a. a a. a m. m E E. S. S T. T TJ General Tsai Ting Ting-Kai's reply was sent to Japanese Lieutenant General Continued on Pace Page Two TROOPS RUSH FOR BATTLE Continued from PUt Peer One Wu Vu Teh Chen ma mayor or of ot Shanghai hai sent his reply to Japanese Consul General Mural General T Tsai's ais ai's reply notified the Japanese that the army was Under under un Un- der the direct control of the national nation nation- a al government and would take orders orders orders or or- ders only enly from the government Mayor Wu VU's reply was more lengthy It declared that China docs does not regard the Shanghai situation as asa asa asa a local affair and that the Japanese ultimatum should be referred to the national government o Mayor Wu Vu charged that the present pres pres' present present ent grave rave situation at Shanghai re resulted resulted re- re suited from aggressive Japanese acts and referred to the ruthless bombing bombing bomb bomb- ing of oC Chapel Chapet and the wanton killing kUling I of Chinese citizens General Ts Tsai i. i commander of oC the Chinese route army defending Chapel Chapet said his men would rather die on the battlefield than to accept these unreasonable demands EXPLAINS BOYCOTT The boycott against Japanese goods can be regarded only as ns the natural outcome of ot Japanese acts of or aggression both at Shanghai and in said Manchuria Mayor Wu's Vu's reply The entire series of ot incidents was national and not local and local of officials officials officials of- of arc are able able- to refer reter Thursdays Thursday's communications the Japanese de demands demands demands de- de mands to the national government In a statement nt separate from his reply General Tsai Tsal said Chinese troops never had entered the international international international inter inter- national settlement but were stationed stationed sta sta- in Chinese territory It is ridiculous for the Japanese while attacking us from irom their bases in the settlement to demand that we withdraw withdraw with with- draw dra from irom our own territory We would rather die on the battlefield battlefield bat bat- than accept these unreasonable unreasonable unreasonable unreason unreason- able demands the generals general's statement statement statement state state- ment said Edwin S Cunningham and John F. F Brenan United States and British I Ia consuls general consuls e eral respectively issued a statement advising evacuation and nd I stressing the danger from falling shells in the districts JAPANESE FOLLOW The orders from the British and American officials followed similar action by the Japanese in in clearing their nationals out o of the danger zone the district where Japanese Japanese Japa Japa- nese troops have been massed for an attack The Japanese announced officially that they would be ready for the offensive offensive offensive of of- at 7 a. a m. m Saturday 6 p. p m ni Friday E. E S. S T T. unless the Chinese had evacuated their first lines The rhin rhinos 1 answer mw r was to un UP I more rb b barbed d' d wire vire and d clis dig in in d deeper The Chinese reply rejecting the thc Japanese ultimatum had been prepared prepared prepared pre pre- pared at 6 G p. p m. m today for delivery shortly Tl The tc reply was curt acknowledging ac aCt ac- ac receipt o of Japanese demands demands de de- de mands and stating stalin But we have the honor to inform you that the Nineteenth Route army is under the direct control of the national national na government of the republic of China and it therefore takes orders only from said government Lieutenant General received re re- re- re foreign correspondents in a along along along long room at a cotton mill in the settlements settlement's settlements settlement's set set- extreme northeastern end cad I where he has established Ninth divisIon division divi divi- sion headquarters He announced that preparations were complete to start the offensive I r still hope that the Nineteenth army will withdraw but 1 I har haroy hary y expect expect ex ex- it he said However there will be no o offensive before 7 a. a m. m Saturday whatever the Chinese do ANSWERS QUESTIONS While the Japanese commander answered answered an an- a barrage of questions from men representing news agencies and newspapers from all parts of the world Japanese motorcycle dispatch riders clad in khaki dashed in and out of ot the headquarters The hum of Japanese airplane motors ready to take the air air was heard from an adjoining adjoining adjoining ad ad- joining landing C field eId General was smiling and seemed calm He answered questions questions questions ques ques- frankly and as quickly as possible possible pos pos- sible smoking one after alter an an- another other En route to the Ninth division headquarters headquarters head head- quarters the correspondent saw a continuous stream of army lorries carrying earring equipment to Japanese lines Dispatch riders rushed from one section sec see tion of 01 the front to another Chinese refugees fled in the opposite tion many with ith household goods in packs on their backs General was extremely in in- formal He was accompanied only by one interpreter He explained details de de- tails of ot the Japanese ultimatum in a careful speech speaking without notes FORCED TO ACT Since we the Ninth division ar arrived ar- ar rived here a week eek ago we nave done nothing hoping that the Chinese would take ke the hint and withdraw But they have attacked our friendly arm army repeatedly despite Japanese inactivity Therefore we must now rc regretfully act General 1 said The ine commander said he believed d the he most important Japanese demand demando to be withdrawal of Chinese troops 12 o o 2 1 miles from Shanghai and added added add add- ed significantly and also that the Chinese can take no military defense defence measures within the evacuated area General said he wished to emphasize the demands were made to the Nineteenth army only and not to the Chinese government army or people and that the withdrawal demand did not include the districts to the south from the French cones con sion where troops would be allowed to remain as long as they did not assume as as- sume the offensive The demilitarized zone to the north and east cast of the international settlement settlement settle settle- ment was proposed to insure the theof growth of greater Shanghai General said He said the demand for cessation of foreign as well as anti anti- Japanese movements was very important important tant for the future of or Shanghai but was a diplomatic matter outside the army's sphere He noted that the districts from which Chinese troops would not be asked to withdraw included the and arsenals |
