Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-18
Nationalist Re-eStabliShed
in Shantung With Eastern
Honan Withdrawal On.
KAIFENG'S CAPTURE
BELIEVED IMMINENT
Reds Still Menace in Central and
Southern Sections, Pending
Troop Shifts.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NANKING, August 18.-Sweeping
claims of victory on the battlefleldS of
Northern China caused high govern
ment circles today to predict the end
of the civil war on terms dicated by
the Marking regime.
The optimistic forecast was made rs
the result of the recapture by Nation
alists of Isinan, capital of Shantung
Province, and reports indicating North
ern rebel armies in Honan Province
were finding government IRE too hot to
Withstand.
Recapture of Isinan from the rebels
was regarded in government circles as
virtually re-establishing Nationalist
authority in Shangtung. Military re-
ports from along the Haichow-Tung-
kwan Railway stated the rebel Kuomin-
chun (people's army had begun gen.
eral withdrawal from Eastern Honan.
While specific reasons accounting fol
the alleged Kuominchun retreat were
not given, it was generally believed
STRENGTHENING Of the Nationalist in
Shantung had made the rebels position
untenable in Central and Eastern
Honan.
Westward Retreat Reported.
Nationalist reports said Feng's reb-
els were retreating westward from Lam
feng, well fortified city which had been
considered the key to the Kuominchun's
positions in Eastern Central Honan.
Government authorities said the reb-
els were not expected to make stand
east of Kaifeng, Honan capital, which
was described as a difficult place tc
defend. The fall of Kaifeng into Ma
tionalists' hands was believed by gov
eminent officials to be imminent.
Nationalist now profess to believe tho
Kuominchun will retreat into thu
mountains of Southern Shansi Province
through the passes which for centurie:
have afforded avenues of escape FOL
armies defeated on the plains Of Honan
Government officials predicted the
rebels soon would be pushed well north
ward of the Yellow River, enabling
Marking to dictate peace terms. Ir
Shantung the Nationalist asserted they
had advanced north to TSinan, driving
the rebels across the Yellow River, cap
turing many.
Retreat Along Railroad.
Rebel forces along the Tsinan-Tsing-
tao Railway also were said to be re-
treating toward the northern border Of
Shantung.
In the capture of Tsinan, Marking
leaders asserted, their forces had seizec
10000 rifles, 100 field guns and three
airplanes. Fresh from this victory
President Chang Kai-Shek was sale
to be rushing planes to Honan for ar
offensive against the Kuominchun.
Nationalist also said they had ordered
an advance against Chengchow, impor.
tant city west of Kaifeng.
Communist disorders continued spas
medically in the Yangtze Valley, with
Reds pillaging the smaller places. How.
ever, their apparent Discrimination to at
tack the larger cities other than Chang
sha has enabled the government to con-
centrate small bodies of troops in the
major cities. This, in turn, has caused
Nationalist to circulate reports that
the Communist menace had been con-
trolled.
Nevertheless, the Reds are believed
able to strike against almost any COM
munity in Central and Southern China
and will continue to be in that position
until the government can withdraw
some of its troops from the northern
civil war front for duty against the
Reds.