FAR EAST FIGHTING

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 September 1938, Page 7

FAR EAST FIGHTING

JAPS. CLAIM PROGRESS SLAUGHTER OF CHINESE [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] (Recd. September 5, 11.30 a.m.) TOKIO, September 4. Chinese casualties at Mahweiling where after a day’s conflict, the Japanese cut the Kuukiang-Nanchang railway are estimated at 10,000. Japanese airmen without meeting retaliation machine-gunned 20,000 fugitives. The Japanese captured Wakiashen (Central Hupeh), killing 700. CHINESE RESISTANCE. WELLINGTON, September 3. The Chinese Consul has received the following cablegram from Hankow : — There was severe fighting both north and south of the Yangtse. The enemy’s object is to advance westward along two routes via Juichang and Lu-an, where the enemy is heavily concentrated. On the Juichang route, the enemy fiercely attacked Mashan but met stubborn resistance. On the Lu-an sector, the enemy also fiercely attacked our- lines, the tel- - round Lu-an being flat. We foughi, until August 29, when we moved to elevated positions. The enemy, with the object of dividing our military strength, has lately commenced to threaten various Yellow river crossings, south of Shansi and West Honan, but we have taken ample precautions.” JAPANESE LOSSES WELLINGTON, Sept. 5. The recapture by Chinese* of Tachienshan, -west of Juichang, after fierce all-day fighting is announced in a Hankow cablegram, received by the Chinese Consul. It states that Japanese sustained over four thousand casualties, including a commander of a regiment and five battalion commanders, while Chinese captured eight hundred rifles and several tons of machine guns. The Japanese have been reinforced and severe fighting is still proceeding west of Juichang. TRADE RESTRICTIONS. SHANGHAI, September 2. An urgent appeal for action to check Japanese inroads into American and other foreign trade in China has been made in a. cable message to the State Department by the American Chamber of Commerce and 10 other American organisations. The appeal states that Americans are alarmed at the progress of Japanese plans to oust American and othe" trade from China by monoplies, trade and travel restrictions, commodities exchange control, and curren'y manipulation. These are already effective in North China, and are crippling the most important lines of, American trade.