WAR IN CHINA: Safety Zones

The Japanese drive up the Yangtze River has carried the determined Imperial Army through Shanghai, Nanking and finally, last week, to Hankow (see p. 13). Amid the brutal horrors perpetrated in the native quarters of these cities there was just one oasis of succor for Chinese, the “safety zone.” At Shanghai year ago a square-bearded, black-robed, one-armed French Jesuit, Father Jacquinot de Besange, originated the safety zone scheme. Colorful, 60-year-old Father Jacquinot, aristocrat by birth, prevailed upon Chinese and Japanese military heads to keep the Nantao area, the old native city next the International Settlement, free of fighting and bombardment. This area, dubbed the Jacquinot Zone, sheltered 250,000 refugee Chinese. Last week, 100,000 of them still huddled there.

Last week in Hankow up popped Father Jacquinot once more to establish another area for refugees. He beat the Japanese into the city, arranged to use the French Concession and former British, German and Russian Concessions as his “safety zone.” Into the area he hurried 100,000 Chinese who chose to remain.

Retreating Chinese, pursuing the “scorched earth” policy, dynamited and fired everything of value to the Japanese. Factories were set ablaze, the luxurious Japanese Naval Club, the Japanese Consulate and Consul General’s residence were blasted to the ground. Scores of Chinese, trapped in the dynamited areas, were killed. Reservoirs were demolished but Father Jacquinot reportedly persuaded the Chinese to spare the Hankow pumping station.

When the first Japanese vessels nosed up to the Bund, on hand to meet them was Father Jacquinot. Behind him hundreds of Chinese, fearful of a repetition of the rape of Nanking, cheered and exploded firecrackers to please the Japanese. The French priest informed the Japanese naval commander of the refugee area for Chinese and received assurances that it would be respected. In return, Father Jacquinot and a British naval officer led the troops on a ceremonial march through the city to the native quarter.

Between the Japanese Army and Navy rivalry is always intense and in the China war local army and navy bigwigs have frequently worked at cross purposes. When the army columns belatedly arrived in Hankow last week the army commanders decided to use buildings in the refugee zone as troop billets and Father Jacquinot, after spending thousands of dollars of relief money, was ordered out. A new zone was established in the Chinese native sector on the Han River.