SORELY PRESSED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 249, 20 October 1937, Page 7

SORELY PRESSED

JAPANESE FORCES SURROUNDED BY CHINESE ATTEMPTED ANNIHILATION DRIVE (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) Received Oct. 19, 5.5 p.m. NANKING, Oct. 18. Heavy losses by both sides are reported from the battle area north of Taiyuan, where 50,000 Japanese were surrounded on Saturday. The Chinese attempted an annihilation drive before the arrival of Japanese reinforcements and claim to have captured 800 rifles, 100 machine-guns, field guns and tanks. Packets of cigarettes, food and ammunition descended on the Chinesw lines from Japanese ’planes. The flyers had apparently mistaken the lines. Tokio admits that the Japanese are sorely pressed and are suffering severely. Sleet is falling and the troops are still wearing their summer uniforms.

CHINESE DEBACLE CLAIM IN JAPAN THE NORTHERN OPERATIONS TOKIO, Oct. 18. The Dome! news agency reports that the Japanese in North Shans* defeated the combined Chinese Government troops of the Eighth Route Army and of the army fighting with its centre in the neighbourhood of Sinkowchen and north of Taiyuanfu. It is claimed that this success, with the occupation of Potow and the subsequent capture of Paoho, which is a strategically important point, involves a debacle for the Chinese northern operations. CAPTURE OF PAOTOW SIGNIFICANCE STRESSED Received Oct. 19, 11.55 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 19. The Daily Telegraph’s Tokio correspondent says that with the occupation of Paotow in the Suiyuan Province, Japan claims to have erected what is described as a 1000-mile-long “anti-Communist wall,” stretching from Manchukuo to Suiyuan, thence north to Shansi and Hopei almost to the sea. Inside lies the rich Shantung Province, which is reported to be arming to the teeth against the Japanese. The Daily Telegraph’s special Shanghai correspondent reports that the significance of Paotow is that*, it governs the northern route between Russia and China. It is the terminus of the Peking-Suiyuan railway and lies near the route connecting Siberia, Mongolia and China, and by holding this region Japan reduces China’s chances of receiving arms from Russia. This has been one of the chief objectives of the Japanese offensive. FOUGHT TO THE LAST A CHINESE REGIMENT JAPANESE TANK ATTACK Received Oct. 19, 5.5 p.m. SHANGHAI, Oct. 18. Japanese 'planes retaliating against Chinese raids attempted to destroy the Chinese aerodrome at Hungjao. The casualties included 30 civilians. A Japanese tank attack on Kechiapailou succeeded after the annihilation of a Chinese regiment of 1400, which fought until the last, the commander refusing to give the order to retire. The Chinese claim that this operation cost the Japanese 3000 casualties. THE SILKSWORTH’S CREW REMANDED ON BAIL Received Oct. 19, 10.20 p.m. NEWCASTLE, Oct. 19. Thirty of the Siiksworth’s Chinese crew of 36 were to-day remanded for a fortnight with bail of £lOO each. The remaining six Chinese have not been located. The magistrate said the case was no ordinary one of a crew leaving a ship. International matters were involved and he was not prepared to order the crew back to the ship at this stage. SINKING OF JUNKS JAPAN IGNORES INQUIRY HONGKONG, Oct. 18. The inquiry into the sinking of the Chinese junks on September 22 has opened. The Japanese Consul-General ignored the invitation to attend. The fourteen survivors who were witnesses were unable to swear that the attacking submarine was Japanese. The exhibits included shrapnel splinters and bullets extracted from the wounded. DESPERATE FIGHTING JAPANESE' REPULSED NANKING’S REPORT [ Per Press Association. ] WELLINGTON, Oct. 19. The Chinese Consul has received the following cablegram from Nanking: There was a desperate battle on the north bank of Wentsaopang, but on the arrival of Chinese reinforcements the invaders were repulsed. Both sides suffered heavy losses. Fierce fighting occurred on the south creek, the Chinese defenders holding their position. At Kiangwan Japanese bombers

and mechanised units were ineffective against the strong Chinese defence. There were all-day skirmishes al Chapei, but the positions remain unchanged. Repeated Japanese attempts to land reinforcements north-west ol Lotien failed. Several Japanese warships were detached from the squad* ron and sailed downstream. The Japanese bombed Soochow railway station, damaging the tracks and empty wagons. The Japanese also bombed Kaishing station on the Shanghai-Hangkow line, buildings being slightly damaged, but there were no casualties. GENEVA STATISTICS EFFECT OF CRISIS ON TRADE [ British Official Wireless.] RUGBY, Oct. 18. A Geneva message states that the effect of the Far East crisis has had on world trade is revealed by the monthly statistics of the League economic intelligence service. The gold value of world trade in August was 3 per cent, less than the figure for July. Not only did the world imports decline considerably, but exports were much less. NEW ZEALAND DECISION BANNING OF IRON SCRAP COMMENT IN JAPAN Received Oct. 19, 11.5 p.m. TOKIO, Oct. 19. Commenting on New Zealand’s prohibition of the export of iron scrap and tin scrap to Japan, Mr Uchida, managing-director of the Osaka Shosen Kaisha Line, said: “It is very 1 disappointing considering that we established a special New Zealand line trying to foster trade, as a benefit to both countries.” CONDITIONS FOR PEACE CHINA’S MINIMUM SHANGHAI, Oct. 18. The Chinese spokesman declared that General Chaing Kai-shek’s minimum conditions would alone enable peace. According to a Shanghai message on July 19 China’s reply to the Japanese proposals said that the movements of Japanese troops indicated a resort to force, whereas the Chinese, while taking precautions in selfdefence, desired the maintenance ol peace. Therefore she proposed that both sides agree to a date for the cessation of all military movements and the withdrawal of their forces to former positions. China’s reply expressed readiness to open negotiations with Japan through diplomatic channels, but insisted that any local settlement must be subject to the sanction of the Central Government, and sovereign rights must be preserved at all costs. SANCTIONS AGAINST JAPAN CANADIAN MOVEMENT OTTAWA, Oct. 18. A meeting of the League of Nations Union and 36 participating organisations has been called for November 6 to consider the demand for sanctions against Japan.