CHINA & JAPAN

Hokitika Guardian, 15 February 1939, Page 5

CHINA & JAPAN

AN OFFENSIVE '

LAUNCHED BY CHINESE.

(United Press'Association —By Electric . Telegraph—Copyright).

■ .-i !* —- .suiLONDON, February. 14. The Chinese have launched a great offensive, on bile ,-Hunan • liront, south of the Hankow, throwing 250,000 troops, equipped with new .artillery and mechanised ‘ units, against 40,000 ' Japanese, whom' they attacked with bayonets, says the Hong K6ng correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” The. Chinese inflicted heavy losses. In addition to, capturing hundreds of •prisoners and; much, .war material they advanced several miles. ; An Independent Cable Service message from Hong Kong says that it is estimated that there are only fOO,OOO Japanese south, of M'anchuluio; They are facing 2,000,000 Chinese regulars and 1,000,000 guerilla troops inside (their own lines. * • i,! • The-i;reorganised Chinese air fprce , also took the initiative ’ for the first time, bombing and machine-gunning Japanese trenches. > : 0 .

BRITISH PROTEST

JAPANESE REPLY

LONDON, February 13,

A message from Tokio states that the British Ambassador (Sir ..Robert Craigie) made, representations to the Japanese Foreign Minister (Mr H. Arita) regarding the Japanese occupation of Hainan Island.

He received'a similar assurance to that given to the French Ambassador yesterday when Mr Arita told the French Ambassador that Japan hid no territorial designs on Hainan 1 and would occupy the. island only as long as it was militarily necessary; A, British official Wireless message states" that the Prime Minister (Mr Chamberlain)-was asked in the House of Commons if he was aware that the Japanese had i landed .on Hainan Islandj arid whether he would immediately .consult with France with a view, to joint protection of British and •French interests.. ■ - ■ ■

The .Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Mr. R. 'A. Butler), who replied, said: “Yes, Lord Halifax is already .in touch with - France on this matter.”. i; .• ■.

, ;Air. Butler added that no reply had •yet been received from Japan to Britaih’s Note regarding China.

MOB WAR IN SHANGHAI

JL; mob of armed Chinese poured a fusillade into the Tatao police station in - western Shaighai and scattered pamphlets on- behalf of the antiJapanese “Anti-Traitor • Ironblood Corps.”

. The pamphlets announced last week’s six* assassinations of pro-Japanese Chinese were only a sample of what may happen in the future.