(3 of 4)
Japan's standing army numbers 210,880, some 15,000 Japanese soldiers occupying Manchuria last week. Japan's trained reserve, citizens well drilled and ready to spring to the colors, topped 1,750,000. On the sea Japan has an incomparably superior navy of 798.394 tons. The entire Chinese Navy (68 ships) does not displace as much as one British super-dread-naught (40,000 tons). Japanese opinion of Chinese fighting strength was expressed by a Government spokesman at Tokyo: "if China declares war on Japan, we will simply ignore it."
"Basis of Righteousness." Stubbornly, for obvious diplomatic reasons, the Japanese Government insisted that they were not at war with China last week. But in Manchuria, which is part of China, acts of war continued:
> Japanese planes bombed three trainloads of Chinese soldiers at Tahusan on the Peiping-Mukden Railway.
In Tokyo War Minister General Minami said that Japan has "no bombing planes" in Manchuria, explained that from "scout planes" Japanese airmen drop "not bombs but three-inch shells" which nevertheless explode. Continuing these technicalities, Japanese Ambassador Debuchi announced in Washington that Japan has withdrawn "all fighting planes" from Manchuria.
> After bombing Chinchow, field headquarters of the ousted Chinese Governor of Manchuria, Chang Hsueh-liang (TIME, Sept. 28), Japanese planes swooped low to drop explanatory handbills. Text:
"The Imperial Japanese Army, which strives to uphold the rights of the masses on the basis of righteousness, will under no circumstances recognize Chang Hsueh-liang or the authority of his provisional government at Chinchow. The army is now compelled to resort to positive action to destroy his base."
> Six Japanese troop trains, preceded by an armored train and escorted by bombing planes, moved westward out of Mukden, occupying the "Heart of Manchuria."
> Rashly approaching Mukden, 1,000 Chinese soldiers were met by Japanese five miles outside the city, skirmished bravely for nine hours, were routed, fled.
> Three out of a caravan of 50 Koreans straggling across Manchuria reached Mukden alive. Said they: "Our comrades were butchered by Chinese troops."
> Egged by Japanese General Honjo, now seeking to set up a puppet Chinese regime in Manchuria, puppet Chinese General Chang Hai-peng advanced last week upon Tsitsihar, held by loyal Chinese General Ma Chan-shan who offered peacefully to give up the old walled town.
Advancing cautiously to accept General Ma's surrender, General Chang's advance guard was set upon with orthodox Oriental treachery by General Ma, fought savagely, but was sent flying for its life.
C. Out of dim Mongolia appeared the Dar Khan, barbaric Prince of the Blood, friendly to Chinese. In Peiping he vowed that Japanese agents had offered him bribes to declare the independence of Inner Mongolia and become its puppet ruler, protected by Japan.