Evening star., 1937-10-17
CHINA T0ACCEPT
CONFERENCE BID
Fall Of Walled Hopeh City
Gives Japanese Control of
Most of Province.
BY the Associated Press.

MOST OF Pr0VlnCe.
BY the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI, October II Sunday
The Chinese government at Marking
today announced receipt Of an invita-
ton from Belgium to attend a meeting
OF the nine-power treaty signatories
at Brussels october 80 and an ofYicial
spokesman said China would accept
The Japanese North China COM
mand at Peiping reported the capture
Of Shuntehfu, walled Hopeh Province
city, SIS miles north of the Honan pro-
vincial border. They said Chinese de-
tenders Of Shuntehfu were hammered
for several hours before being driven
out.
This victory gave the Japanese con-
troll of nearly all of Hopeh Province.
The column from Japan's Manchu-
rian garrison operating in the Far
Northwest was reported to have pushed
several miles west from Kweisui, CAP
ital Of Suiyuan Province, which fell
Thursday, and to be approaching Pao-
towchen, western terminus OF the
Peiping- -Suiyuan Railway, which, jap
anese said, would be taken soon.
Two Chinese Planes Down,
The Domei (Japanase) News Agency
said the Chinese bombing planes at
tackled Yuanping, 10 miles north Of
Taiyuanfu. yesterday. The agency
said two Chinese planes were brought
down.
Japanese Army advices said its
planes had bombed ~ North China
towns since October /.
The first passenger train since July
left today for Kalgan, capital of con-
quered Chahar Province, northwest Of
Peiping, and the Japanese planned to
begin telephone service soon between
Peiping and Hsinking, Mukden and
Dairen.
Chinese airplanes early today made
q lightning raid on Japanese warships
on the Whangpoo River, near Shang-
hal, and japanese troop concentra-
tions at Woosung. IL miles north Of
here. Apparently little damage was
done.
Retaliate for Raids.
The Chinese air attack was in re-
taliation for extensive and damaging
raids carried out by Japanese air
forces Friday and Saturday near
Shanghai and at several points in
the southern provinces of Wwangtung
and Kwangsi.
Chinese dispatches listed at least
1913 Chinese civilians killed in the JAP
anese bombing raids. with hundreds
more wounded.
Naval planes struck at railway CEN
ters and army depots south and west
OF Shanghai in an effort to keep men
and supplies from reaching the Chi
nese armies massed near this city
Chinese ofiicials said the japanese
bombed two trains carrying Chinese
wounded near Kashing, on the Nam
king Shanghai Railway, killing or ad-
ditionally wounding 40.
In the Shanghai area the lombard
ments centered on the railways west
to Nanking and south to Hangchow.
the two main rail arteries from this
city.
Japanese airmen also bombarded
the Chinese military airdrome on the
outskirts OF Marking but did little
damage.
Many Civilians Killed.
The southern air raids, Chinese re-
ported, killed 40 persons and wounded
100 at Sheklung, on the Canton -Kow-
loon Railway. More than 100 Chi
nese civilians were reported killed in
q raid at Wuchow, commercial city
of Eastern Kwangsi.
Fifty-three were reported killed and
200 injured at Kweilin. north Of WI
chow.
Japanese made repeated raids on
capital Of Chekiang Pro-
vince, south OF Shanghai. Many Of |
100000 inhabitants took |
refuge in underground shelters.
North China reports were that |
Chinese forces delayed the japanese
march southwark toward Tsinan.
capital Of Shantung Province. Chinese
were said to be holding back the
Japanese advance at Chang -chauang,
10 miles north Of the city.
Japan Charges Use Of Gas.
Japanese countered accusations that |
they are using poison gas by accus-
ing the Chinese Of the same tactics
in demonstration before foreign
The japanese consulate general was
the scene Of the display in which
Lieut.. Col. Hajime Tani OF the
Japanese Chemical Corps exhibited a
shell which he declared was Chinese.
The officer said the shell contained |
enough poison gas to kill the ROOM
full Of correspondents.
Oficial Chinese dispatches from |
Taiyuan, Shansi Province capital, re-
ported Chinese counter attacked jap
anese and inflicted heavy casualties in
q battle near Yuanping, 73 miles to
the north.
The Japanese retreat was said to |
be cut of by the counter thrust |
Shansi Province Is one of the five |
North China areas Japan is seek
ing to dominate.
Canadian Clnh TAa To1ov