Evening star., 1931-12-28
JAPANESE CRUSH
CHINESE IN MARCH
TOWARD CH|NCHOW
Planes Bomb Armored Train,
Permitting Invaders to
Capture Town of TaWa.
STUBBORN RESISTANCE
OFFERED BY DEFENDERS
Advance From Yingkow Kept Sc
cret, but Is Expected to Result
in Long -Heralded Offensive.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
MUKDEN, Manchuria, December %.
"A strong japanese force moved UP
frcm Yingkow along a branch of the
Peiping- -AIukden Railway toward Kow-
pangtze today to capture the town OF
Tawa after blasting a Chinese armored
train out of the way with bombs from
the air.
They had to fight as they went, caval-
ry opening the way through scattered
forces of Chinese irregulars SO the in
fantry could follow through.
There was a skirmish at Sanchiatze
and another at Tsaipaochan before the
main body got through to Tawa, where
planes had preceded it.
Resistance Is Stubborn.
A detachment was separated from the
main body and directed against Niuchu-
ang. where irregulars had moved in to
reoccupy the town The Chinese were
loosely organized, but they provided
stubborn resistance at all points.
Officially the movement westward
from Yirgkow was kept secret. but
there was a possibility it might develop
into the long expected drive against
Chinchow itself. The advance was to
halt for the night at Tawa. but planes
swept on toward Kowpangtze, bombing
the irregular strongholdS and recon-
noitering.
Tomorrow, it was reported, the Jap
anese column planned to move on 10
Panshanhsien, the next station on the
brsnch line to Kowpangtze.
A communique issued by japanese
Headquarters here said the movement
followed an attack by mixed force
of 1000 Chinese regulars and irregu-
lars on the JaoaneSa detachment at
Sanchiatze. short distance north OF
Tienchuangtai.
Chinese Put TO Rout.
The fight lasted several hours and
ended with the Chinese in fight.
Pursuing the enemy to the west, the
japanese column reached Shakan,
which they captured after two-hour
battle.
The headquarters spokesman de-
clined to disclose the probable Japan
ese objective. but reiterated previous
declaration that the army is deter
mined to eliminate all undesirable
forces" from the entire district west Of
the Lao River.
This may include Chinchow, he
said
Reports from accommodating planes
showed heavy Chinese concentration at
Panshangsien and two breaks in the
railway south Of Tawa.
Further Advance Likely.
Subsequent operations probably will
depend upon the extent to which the
Chinese regulars at ChinchoW become
involved Apparently the japanese in
tended to crush any force obStructing
their operations against bandits" I"
Chinchow is 40 miles from Kowpangtze
along the Peiping- -Mukden Railway.
In authoritative quarters here it was
thought there would be a troop move
ment from MukGeu co-ordinating the
operations from Tienchuangtai. There
was much martial activity here today
as new troops arrived from Japan in
goatskin jackets and steel helmets cov-
cred with white cloth as a camoufiage
in the snow Airplanes we're humming
and a number Of scout planes flew into
the southwest.
In the operations to the south of
Mukden both sides are using snow
camouf1age" on battlefieldS, where the
temperature was around 20 below zero.
Snow covered hillocks and stacks of
rice straw at times came to life and
opened fire as soldiers broke from the
deceptive white mounds.
Ice Braces Trenches.
The japanese discovered also that
Chinese irregulars had reinforced their
trenches by pouring water along the
earthWorkS. 1t froze Immediately and
provided resistance against bullets.
Yingkow reported by telephone that
5000 men under Gen. Amano were
participating in the march toward
Kowpangtze.
The cavalry in the lead, followed by
armored trucks and the main body OF
infantry and artillery with the generals
Headquarters staff bringing up the rear.
The main column marched along the
right side of the branch railway, con-
meeting Tienchuangtai with KoW-
pangtZe. and a regiment Of infantry
deployed on the other side. The
strength Of the aviation arm could not
be learned.
On the way to Kowpangtze the jap
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