WAR IN COM MY LAST THREE YEARS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 55, 7 March 1939, Page 9

WAR IN COM MY LAST THREE YEARS.

END IN STALEMATE.

Jap. Soldiers' Reported War

Weariness.

BIG BATTLE NEAR CLIMAX.

United Press Association.—Copyright

(deceived 12.30 p.m.)

LONDON, March 6.

General Chiang Kai-shek's confidential adviser, Mr. George Shepherd, has arrived in London en route to New \ork.

He is of the opinion that the war in China will last at least another three years, and is almost certain to end in a stalemate, says an Independent Cable Service message.

"The Times" Chungking correspondent says that the Chinese frustrated all Japanese efforts to cross the Han River.

The latest estimate of the number of Chinese troops is 2,000,000, adequately officered and in excellent morale, while Japanese prisoners display increasing war weariness and anxiety to return home.

The "Daily Telegraph" Hongkong correspondent says that what both sides claim to be the biggest battle of the year is now reaching a climax, after a ten days' struggle on a line 350 miles in length in Kiangsu, Hunan and Hupeh, involving the isolation of the Japanese at Yoyang and the recapture of the Tungtin-Wuchang railway though the Japanese are menacing Ichang, which is the gateway to the Yangtse gorges.

The losses seem evenly divided. The Japanese now claim to have succeeded in crossing the Han River at Sanyangtien, menacing towns on the west bank which, however, the Chinese set on fire in consonance with the "scorched earth" policy. e

Heavy reinforcements are strengthening both sides. Three Japanese columns are converging on Paoying.

Japanese sentries at Hankow struck and slightly injured the Portuguese Consul, who was attempting a passage through the administrative district after curfew. Chinese raiders killed a guard and servant while unsuccessfully searching for the Japanese leader, Chin Lungchang, residing in the French Concession.