New Britain herald., 1927-02-05
Northern Forces Ex- pect to Capture City But Stubborn Defense Still is Being Planned By Defenders.
American Minister Con- fers With Northern War Lords in Effort to Have Neutral Zone Pro. claimed - Japs Send Warships.

iAoA' GU. (UF) - Hurled pack by a crushing attack of the Cantonese forces pushing toward Shanghai, Marshal Sun Chen Fang defending this port from the ad- vance of the southern armies, took Up hii stand today at Yenchow, 1so miles south of Yenchow.
 4enchow thus became the base of the military operations which experts believed will determine the fate Of Shanghai. The Cantonese were re- ported massing their battalions for . determined assault.
 Marshal Sun dispatched 5000 picked soldiers of his northern army from Hangchow to Yenchow where they will await the unleashlng of the pig push." Hangchow. s5 miles south of here, was believed the i'm. mediate object of the Cantonese gen. erals.
 Prepare Counter Attack
 Meanwhile the northern warlords. stirred to action by the apparent power of the Cantonese war machine prepared for a counter attack into the Cantonese lines which would split their northward- moving col- ums and force them to divert their attack from Shanghai.
 Two hundred thousand troops un. der Marshal Wu Pei-Fu, were being massed for an attack upon Ham, kow, scene of the recent negotiations between Charge D'Affaires O'Mailey and the Cantonese foreign minister, Eugene Chen. s
 Revolt Is NippetI
 Wu crushed a revolt of his off, cers, won them over to his side and has now moved them into a posi- ton where they are prepared to swing into an attack designed to split the Cantonese offensive.
 Marshal Wu is one of the thres northern warlords who entered into a triple entente at Tientsin several weeks ago for the self admitted pur- pose of crushing the south Chinese attack upon north China and the Pekin government. For the past few weeks. despite the growing in- dications of insurrection amopy his military chiefs. Marshal Wu haA been moving his troops southward prepar- atory to a general attack upon the Cantonese armies.
 Strategic Importance
 Of particular strategic importance, military experts said is the conflict at Tenchow between one body of Cantonese and Marshal Sun. Hurl- ed back by the assault of the Can- tonese regiments. the marshal and his troops retreated from Chuchow to Yenchow. harried continually by the advance. guards of the south erners. There the main body of tho Cantonese halted to await the arrival of heavier endorsements before launching a new assault.
 But Marshal Sun, in spite of re- Inducements rushed from the Che- kiang province. was unable to stay the thrust of his adversaries and continued his retreat. Latest reports from the theater of war indicated that the defending army. entrusted with the major phase of the defense of Shanghai, still was retreating but more stubbornly than first.
 Marshal Sun, too. Is one of tho three northern warlords who enter ed into the alliance to resist the Cantonese onrush. With Marshal Wu and Chang Tso-Lin. warlord of Picking, he agreed to cooperate against the south Chinese who seek control. military and political, of all China.
 Marshal Wu's attack upon Han- kow. while strategically important from Chinese point of view, will bring two major Chinese forces into conflict without involving foreign na- tionals to such an extent as would an assault upon Shanghai.
 Want Neutral Zone.
 Picking, Feb. (UP)-John A. Van MacMurray. American minister to Peking conferred here today with Marshal Chang Tso-Lin. northern warlord. presumably on the situation at Shanghai, where 1000 Americans are now massed.
 Marshal Chang Is one Of the three northern warlords who formed a triple alliance to repulse the Can- tonese attack rolling upon Shanghai from the south.
 Tokio, Feb. 5 (UP)-Private ad- vices from Picking today said that John A. Van McMurray had put be- fore Marshal Chang Tso-Lin a pro- posal sponsored by Frank B. Kel- logg, American secretary of state.
 This proposal, it was understood. would have Marshal Chang and Gem eral Chiang kai-Shek neutralize the Shanghai zone.
 Japs Send Warships.
 Tokyo, Feb. Rp-The navy offlcs tonight announced that the cruiser Tenryu and four destroyers had been ordered to proceed to Sasebo from