Evening star., 1927-02-16
,zIANGcH0W's FALL NEAR.
Rejection of Neutrality Plan for
Shanghai Adds to Peril.

SHANGHAI, February Is up. The
downfall OF Hangchow, capital of
Cnekiang Province and chief outpost
OIL Marshal Sun Chuan-Fang, is i'm.
m1nent as the result of major defeats
suffered by his troops on the southern
! battle front. Confirmation of a report
that the troops of Marshal Sun. de.
fender OF Shanghai, had been pushed
back by the onrushing southern army
was received here today.
incoming reports failed to make
clear the details of the sudden and
unexpected turn of events. The Can.
tonese forces evidently filtered propa.
ganda through to Suns troops and
adopted other tactics similar to those
used at kiukiang last November.
bringing Marshal Sun on the verge of
complete collapse and causing him to
lose not only kiukian but also the
whole Of kiangsu Province.
1t was believed that Marshal Suns
communications, which until i few
days ago stretched out along the
Tslentang River from Hangchow to
Chuchow. had been cut by a sudden
thrust. The position of Gen, Pal Pao.
shan, commander of Suns troops in
the southern front, Is obscure. but
there is reason to believe they either
have been cut off from the main force
or have gone over to the Cantonese
ranks.
Cantonese Forge Ahead.
Reliable foreign news sources re.
ported Cantonese troops already had
appeared at Guyanghsien, Is miles
southwest Of Hangchow, and at
Chukihsien, YenchoW and Tunglu.
In bringing about their victory the
Southerners were believed to have
moved up a column of troops from
Fukien Province and combined 1t with
other Nationalist soldiers which thew
found either impossible or undesirable
for use in defending their capital,
Hankow, against a Northern advance
now In prospect near there.
All indications indicate the forces of
Marshal Sun still greatly outnumber
| the foe, but decentralization apparently
| has set in among his troops. The bulk
Of the remaining Sun Shuan-Fang
| army apparently has withdrawn to the
| west of Hangchow for last stand.
Reject Kellogg Proposal.
| Foreign agents of the Shanghai
| municipality stationed at HangchoW
| for military observation were unable
| to communicate with Shanghai to-
| night The Shanghai -Hangchow Rail
road has suspended passenger service
! due, it was understood, to the concen
| tration of rolling stock at HangchoW
| in case Marshal Suns troops find il
| necessary to fall back further.
| Announcement today by spokesmer
| for Marshal Sun that he would decline
| the proposal Of American Secretary OF
| State Kellogg to make Shanghai a
| neutral zone disposes of one possible
| method of protecting the internationa
| city. The Cantonese, who also were
asked by Secretary Kellogg to consider
| his suggestion, previously had indicat
| ed their disapproval Of 1t.
| A strong comeback by Feng Yu
| Tsiang, 1.-The Christian general" add
| ing another angle to the battle roya
aspect of the present Chinese civil
war, was advanced today as one of the
reasons behind the hasty push of Man
churian troops into northern Honar
Province. Feng Is a potential allv o1
the now hard pressed Cantonese forces
Creates Complex Situation.
reng's activities, If as reported
create a complex situation. Honar
Province, in addition to being Feng's
adjective, also is the territory through
,.hich the Northerners must advance
IN their drive against the Nationalists
| r. also is the territory over which WI
is the nominal master.
Although 1t is considered improba
hle that Chang would send his forces
/ into Honan without assurances that
they would not be opposed, Wu has
not made known whether he will Iot
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