Sunday Times (Perth, WA : 1902 - 1954), Sunday 28 December 1941, page 1


MANILA AN OPEN CITY But Japs Drop More Bombs

NEW YORK, Saturday. - Although General MacArthur has declared Manila, the capital of the Philippines, an open city, Tokio radio declares "it is almost unthinkable to consider

Manila as an open city.'

Ever since the declaration Man-ila has been under almost con-stant air-raid alarms. Bombs yere dropped in the port area.

Clark Lee, American Associated Press correspondent In Manila, says that the masses of Japanese troops are poorly equipped with .25 calibre guns, and many of the troops are only 15 or 18 years old. Some of them wore poor quality khaki, others were dressed half in .uniform and half in civilian clothes.

Lee adds that they did not show hysterical exultation. They didn't even charge, but lifted their knees high in a sort of imitation goose step.

"They kept coming forward in pairs, one directly behind the other. They were coming on to die, and many of them did. When they were hit they threw up their hands and fell backwards as if accepting an inevitable fate."

Communique issued in Washing-ton says that the American de-fences in the Philippines have reorganised and strengthened.

Positions have been held in the I vicinity of Lingaken : Gulf. Re-

peated enemy assaults in this sec- |

tor have been successfully resis-ted. There has been brisk fight-ing on other fronts in Luzon Island.

In his proclamation declaring Manila an open city. General MacArthur says: "In order to spare the metropolitan area from possible ravages from either air or ground attack, Manila is here-by declared an open city without the characteristics of a military objective.

"In order that no excuse may be given for a possible mistake the American High Commissioner to the Commonwealth Government and all combatant military instal-lations will be withdrawn from the environs as rapidly as possible.

"The municipal government will continue to function with the po-lice powers reinforced by con-stabulary troops, so that the nor-mal protection of life and property may be preserved. Citizens are

TORPEDOED AMERICAN FREIGHTER Lehigh as she sank after being attacked by an unseen submarine 75 miles from Freetown, Sierra Leone, Africa, on October 19. The series of photographs was taken by the Lehigh's radio opsrator, frorr one of the lifeboats in which the

crew escaped.

requested to maintain obedience to the constituted authorities and to continue their normal process

of business."

Tokio radio, replying: to this declaration, says: "It Is almost unthinkable to consider Manila as an open city, as it is well known American authorities considered Manila as a typical base in the event of an American attack against Japan. If Manila is des-ignated an open city, then Sin-gapore, Chungking, and Hong Kong could be considered open

cities."

Many fires from the vicinity of the reddened Manila sky illu-minated Cnristmas night, while repeated explosions from the south shook the city following a Japan-est air bombardment of a rail-way station. 35 miles south of

Manila.

The Japanese are exerting very heavy pressure, and both sides have suffered heavy casualties.

Before Manila was declared an open city many people fired at Japanese planes with rifles and pistols, but ineffectively.

United States army spokesman declares: "The general situation In the Philippines is better than previously, as United States troops are now becoming harden-

ed to combat.

A Tokio communique claims that the unit of Japanese troops, which landed in Mindanao Island in the south of the Philippines has now occupied Davao, and are "cleaning up the remaining enemy troops."

A Washington Navy communi-que states that the United States forces have complied with the stipulations of the Hague Con-vention regarding the declaration of Manila as an open city.

Refugees reaching Manila state that the Japanese invaders are spreading terror amongst the civilian population. In some towns the Japanese have lined, up civi-lians against the walls and shot them in order to intimidate the rest of the population.

Special propaganda agents and Japanese gestapo detachments accompany the invading columns and Japanese aircraft are drop-ping leaflets claiming that Japan is aiming only to set the Philip-pines free from American "selfish

exploitation."