CHINA’S NEW PERIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 May 1942, Page 5

CHINA’S NEW PERIL

JAP. DRIVE ON CHEKIANG

HUGE FORCE EMPLOYED NEW YORK, May 21. The “New York Times’s” Chungking correspondent expresses the opinion that the present Japanese drive in Chekiang Province aims to destroy possible springboards for Allied air attacks against Japan. He says that the Japanese had made 22 raids, using 554 planes, since April 18, in searching for fields where the American bombers landed after bombing Tokio. It is now reported that in the land campaign Japan is employing an advance force of from 20,000 to 30,000 men, who carry out the attack on Chekiang from a base in Henchow. The correspondent explains that subsidiary motives for attack against Chekiang are an effort to blockade China, and also to eliminate guerrillas, who have been increasingly endangering the Japanese position.

NEW HEADQUARTERS.

CHUNGKING, May 21.

General Stilwell’s headquarters will now be established somewhere near the boundary of the inner section between Burma and India. A Chinese newspaper, the “Taking,” said that the necessary personnel is proceeding to the new headquarters by air from China and India, and all of the Chinese technical and transportation staffs heretofore, operating in Burma, will be withdrawn to India. JAP. SHIP MINED

WASHINGTON, May 21

The Chungking official radio said that a Japanese steamship headed upstream in the Yangtze River, struck a mine and blew up.

SPIES IN JAPAN

WASHINGTON, May 22.

The Office of Facts and Figures said that Japanese broadcasts had today disclosed the existence of an anti-Axis espionage 'ring in Japan. It is alleged to be directed by an anti-Nazi journalist. This organisation, apparently, is widespread, including both Japanese and foreign members. The Tokio radio later broadcast that three foreigners and several Japanese have been arrested for carrying out espionage under the instructions of the Commintern. FOOD FOR PRISONERS BUENOFAIRES, May 21. Japan has agreed to permit a Red Cross ship to carry food and medical supplies to the Far East for the British. prisoners. This is announced by the Foreign Office. EASTERN SUPPLY GROUP. RUGBY, May 21. Information is reaching London that all the Eastern Supply Group projects are well under way and will reach fruition as scheduled if the remaining plant and equipment from Britain and the United States are delivered on time. Munitions production covers a wide field, from the manufacture of guns of various types, with ammunition, to infantry armaments. In addition to new projects, existing ordnance factories are being modernised and expanded.