“CHINA WILL WIN”

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 July 1939, Page 7

“CHINA WILL WIN”

WAR MINISTER’S CONFIDENCE

MAN-POWER HARDLY TOUCHED

[by CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

(Received July 19, 11.30 a.m.) SHANGHAI, July 18

General Chen Cheng, Vice u Minister for War, declares: “Two years' of war have hardly touched China's manpower. The army numbered 1 1,000,000 when the war 'began, and 1 now totals 2,500,000 front-line effectives. There is no difficulty in filling gaps due to casualties.

“Besides 100 reserve regiments, there are 15,000,000 able-bodied men with some training, who could be drafted as fit for the front line, after short intensive training. Eight million men have been trained, for military warfare in the past three 1 years, and! nearly 6,000,000 have,been regimented into the local militia. It is planned to train 4,500,000’ additional men in various part's of China. “China will win this war,” he added. . it JAPANESE DRIVEN BACK.

SHANGHAI, July 18

The Chinese have captured Chaochow, the northern terminus of the railway from Swatow. also Chaon, Anipu, Fuyang, Yihsi and Fengshi. They are driving the Japanese southward, after killing 1000. ANTI-BRITISH AGITATION (Recd. July 19, 11.55 a.m.) TOKIO, July 18. The Sir Robert Craigie and Mr. Arita conversations will resume on the morning of July 19. Negotiations have seldom been conducted in a worse atmosphere. Tokio is quiet, but the anti-British agitation rages elsewhere. The agitation in Chnia could not have begun without the approval of the Japanese army, and it provides evidence of powerful influence to prevent a settlement acceptable to Britain.

FUKIEN. COAST BLOCKADE

LONDON, July 18

The British United Press Shanghai correspondent says: The blockade of the Fukien coast by Japan is being tightened up. The Japanese have announced they are closing the harbours of Santua, Loyuan, and Schacheng by means of booms. Third Power nationals and ships are requested to evacuate-these ports. BRITISH PREMISES WRECKED TSINAN, July 18. An anti-British agitation here ended yesterday with the Chinese, crowds storming the premises of British firms all over the city. They wrecked the Jardine-Mathieson and China Lumber Company’s properties. Japanese troops did not intervene until the British Consular officers urgently appealed. CHINESE CURRENCY SHANGHAI, July 18. The Stabilisation Fund has again stopped selling sterling. The Chinese dollar fell to fivepence. REPRISAL AT KULANGSU LONDON, July 18 “The Times’s” Hong Kong correspondent says that the Japanese have temporarily abandoned the attack on Macao. A Chinese meeting threatened a Japnnpßp ifindine' at Swabue, where they

A Chinese meeting threatened a Japanese landing at Swabue, where they are blockading the Bays. The Japanese at Kulangsu have stopped the water supply, as a reprisal for being refused permission to, control the settlement police. The decline in the Chinese dollar is causing Chinese to go to Canton owing to the high cost of living at Hong Kong, where the first Japanese and English language paper has appeared. The Japanese. Consul-General at Canton visited Hong Kong on an undisclosed mission. It is denied that the Japanese officially encourage the antiBritish agitation. AMERICAN RESOLUTION. WASHINGTON, July 18. Senator Vandenberg has offered a resolution in the Senate, requiring the United States to renounce the .1911 treaty o£ amity and commerce with Japan, and reconvening the Brussels Conference of 1937, which is now in recesa, to determine whether Japan is violating the Nine-Power Treaty, pledging the territorial integrity of China.