JAPAN'S PUSH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22928, 5 January 1938, Page 11

JAPAN'S PUSH

• SHENSI AREA FIERCE FIGHTING AKMIES LINKING UP % GENERAL ADVANCE ATTACKERS' OBJECTIVE Wv Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright , , HANGKOW. Jan. 3 Fierce fighting is raging on the iiouthern bank of the Wei River, South Shensi, as a result of a further Japanese advance from Taian. This advance is part of a great drive being made to connect the Japanese forces operating in North China with those in the Yangtse .Valley" and Central China. The armies are determined to link up. Some forces are moving northward along the Tientsin-Pukow railway. The Japanese who recently captured Tsinan are vigorously pushing southward toward Yenchow. Another column is moving southward to Kwehteh. It is believed that the intention is to cut off the Lunghai railway and outflank the Chinese defenders of Hsuchow. If successful, it will mean that the Japanese will be able to run through traffic from Peking direct to Shanghai ria Nanking.

Chinese Soviet-built aeroplanes, believed to be flown by Russians, made a mrprise raid on a Nanking aerodrome and destroyed two Japanese bombers.

CHINESE REFORMS I TOKIO NOT HAPPY reds in government PROLONGATION OF THE WAR (Received January 4. 5.5 p.m.) TOKIO. Jan. 8 Japan finds little comfort from the drastic reforms of the Chinese Central Government. It is reported that the inclusion' of outstanding Communist leaders is worrying Japanese statesmen and military officers:

The general opinion iit that the reorganisation has brought about greater unity between, every faction in China on a basis of unremitting opposition to Japan. There is no indication of the collapse of the Chinese morale. All Japan realises that when China announces she will pursue prolonged guerilla warfare it is not an idle boast, so Japan is preparing to maintain this life-draining and money-squandering struggle indefinitely.

TOKIO'S BROADCAST COMMUNISTS' VICTIMS , ' ... • both' Japan And china [IT TELEGRAPH —OWX CORiIKSPOVDF.NT] i DUNEDIN. Tuesday Included in a mail received to-day from the Japanese agent of a prominent Dunedin importing firm was a document "containing the text of a recent broadcast from Tokio by Mr. Relman Bloriti, chief- of the Tokio Bureau of the Associated Press, which was in-* tended primarily for American ears. document is of particular interest becausg_ of events such as the Pan ay incident which have occurred since the original broadcast. Quotilig a Japanese Foreign Office official the document claims that both

Japan and China ate the victims of Communist-inspired elements in the Chinese Government and that no power on .earth could prevent the Japanese irbrn annihilating those elements. Officials of the Associated Press, the document continues, had found in Tokio Bo feeling of hatred toward the Chinese bot. ratHer a genuine pity for the Chiniese masses. . ; v is mentioned that this feeling is •bared by the military. The Japanese, oOweVer, were angered at the condem-

nation by the League of Nations of the bombing of Canton and Nanking, but from all sides there had been an outpouring of gratitude toward the United States because it was holding •teraly to the course of neutrality.

HONGKONG ACTIVITIES vWAR MATERIAL UNLOADED - r—' .FREQUENT AIR. ATTACKS HONGKONG, Jan. 8 I? Spite of the daily bombing of railways and roads by a score of aeroplaneß, the unloading of dangeroua goods and the transhipping Vof war Material and fuel from Europe and America is being carried on briskly Hongkong. The Italian liner Conto Woe to-day unloaded 1400 tons of bombs consigned .to Canton. Tho British ship Haidha is three Wee * B orerdtie from Seattle with a Cargo of sulphur. It is feared that she _ have been captured by pirates. Three English yachtsmen, Messrs. E. *-£ ve > J- Johnson and D. Coppin, fired upon by unidentified marksmen as their yacht was passing one of J l6 •Japanese island bases outside ■°°ngkong. The yacht was damaged, the men were not injured.

bombs thrown 'hanohai incident - TOKIO, Jan. 3 ccording to a telegram from Shangp bombs were thrown into the home Hsi-gni, an influential fig\AuHL mem ber of the Citizens' for the Reconstruction of area. No one was injured. e Japanese Consulate is strongly v' jjj . in S to the Council of the Settlein ' fStrict control. lli EMERGENCY powers Ipffa' - - deceived January n.5 p.m.) T , HONGKONG. Jan. 3 • P v ®jnnient announces the reix emergency regulations v " T «y wide powers.