The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-03-02
ADVANCE OF
CANTONESE
IS STOPPED
Shantungese Troops Sent Into
War Theatre Put Stop to
Actual Fighting
SUN WITHDRAWS FORCES
Unccnfirmed Report Says Sun
Sends in Resignation is
Vice Commander
SUN WITHDRAWS FORCES

Shanghai, March 2. Up - The
movement Of Shantungcsc troops in
to the war theatre south Of here was
believed by competent foreign au-
thoritias today to have reached !,
volumei sufficient to stop the Can
toncsc advance on Shanghai so far
as actual fighting is concerned. How
ever, the question has risen as to
whether the defenders will be able to
withstand the bribery and propagan-
da tactics of the southerners, which
hitherto have been uniformly sue.
ccssful.
The utter collapse Of the once
mighty forces of Marshal Sun
Chuan- Fang, who until 10 days ago
was chief defender Of Shanghai, has
been brought about principally by
boring from within" on the part of
the Cantonese. One after another,
Marshal Sun has lost his five prov
inces, and there has been minimum
OF actual fighting since he started
his campaign against the nationalists
Many Withdrawals
The series of defections and be
trayalS whereby Marshal Suns gen
erals aided the nationalists in de-
struction Of his domain, has culmin-
ated in so many withdrawals that he
has been eliminated AS military
factor.
Other generals have followed the
step taken by General Meng Chao-
Yueh. one of Suns leading com
manders. who yesterday refused to
fight along with the Shantung army.
Meng and his staff deserted Sun.
rnS nf
nouncemcnt today that all of Mar
shall Suns forces were being with
drawn from the front at Sungkiang
28 miles south of here, leaving the
army of General Chang Tsung-
Chang, Shantung commander, alone
to bar the Cantonese advance to-
ward Shanghai.
An uncOnfirmed report received
here from Marking, the provincial
capital from where the military
operations are being directed, said
Sun had telegraphed his resignation
kuochun CALLED northern armies ,
to Marshal Chang Tso-Lin. northern
generalissimo.
Agreement Claimed
Northern leaders maintained, how
s~As eANC WIG IVpldNcMcHl VI souuU-
tungese troops for those Of Marshal
Sun was being made under an agree
ment.
Many Of Suns troops are retiring
from Sunkiang practically leaderless
and broken in morale, but it is not
believed they will be a menace to
Shanghai since the Shantungese arc
rapidly moving toward the front and
have appeared in sufficient force here
to avert trouble in the vicinity of
foreign settlements.
Foreign troops here now total IL
OOG, exclusive of crews Of nearly so
warships. These are believed to be
s4-c"g enough to prevent incursion
Of the foreign areas.
Up to this time there has been nc
trustworthy evidence Of real fighting
on the Sungkiang front. The ma.
tlonalists have not appeared in
kiangsu with any great strength. The
Cantonese army was believed to be
bringing up reinforcements. before
attacking Sungkiang in earnest.
Observes believe the Cantonese may
not make drive for Shanghai imme.
diately. and that instead they may
strike for Soochow. short distance
west Of Sungkiang, through the Grand
Canal, and Nanking in an attempt to
cut the railway on either side Of Lake
Taihu, and prevent the rear advance
Of Shantungese troops. Both sides
are moving troops in that direction