Evening star., 1937-11-15
JAPANESE BOMBS
WRECK SOOCHOW
Capital Exodus Is Speeded
as More Than 700 Hit
Inland City.
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI. Nov. ls.-Japanese
forces endangered China's whole
] "Hindenburg line" defenses today in
. q drive on Soochow.
The offensive westward from Shang-
hai, japanese officers said. was the
opening Of a campaign against Nam
king. China's capital. 125 to $50 miles
west OF the "Hindenburg line"
Advices from Marking said Soochow
vas desolated by more than 700 Japa-
nese bombs dropped ON it within 30
hours.
t The central government was known
~ be resolved to defend Marking
knowledge of that determination and
OF Soochow's fate hastened a heavy
civilian exodus from Nanking by
river, canal and road. Government
officials remained, however.
Another Chinese provincial capital.
meanwhile. appeared in imminent
danger in North China Swift Japa-
snese columns were reported within Is
miles Of Tsinan. capital of wealthy
<Shantung Province. Tsinan is the
Fonly provincial capital of North China
fstill uncaptured by the Japanese.
Japan's Line Nearly Straight.
. Japan's converging forces on the
Shanghai-Soochou front now hold an
almost straight line from Chapoo on
,Hangchow Bay. north to Paimaolou,
on the south bank of the Yangtze
River.
. Chinese defenses appeared to be
-erumbling under the weight of su-
perlor japanese armaments. although
the Chinese had about 100000 troops
IN the field to Japan's 100000.
= After the Japanese captured Kun
shan. a strong point near the center
of the "Hindenburg Line" 35 miles
west Of Shanghai. they reported more
than $4,000 Chinese fleeing In con-
fusion by road and canal toward
soochow. Japanese planes bombed
the retreating line to turn the night
into complete rout
Experts predicted the fall of Kun
shan would hasten the Japanese ad-
vance to Soochow. still 20 miles west
OF the Japanese vanguard.
Follow Rail Line.
The main japanese column pushed
toward Soochow along the Shanghai
Nanking Railroad. the Chih River and
Soochow Creek. Foreign military OBJ
servers said the Chinese proba bly, would
make only rearguard stands against
the japanese advancing through I'M
fortified Chensi, Waiting, Waiwwatan
and kwantuli.
Another Japanese column occupied
Pinewang. 81 miles south OF Soochow.
after flotilla of junks, fishing boa is
and launches carrying troops pene-
trated the maze of lakes and canals
northwest of Sungkiang
The attack from two directions was
aimed at turning the Chinese line in
the north and splitting it through the
center. new Japanese army. fresh
" landed from the Yangtne River, At
tackled the northern end
NhCsbCdh NhsSSIVh1ATIO8 S2IS.
Japanese bombers raided Soochow
Wusih, kunshsn, zKashins, Changsu
and Ningpo. Despite extensive bonn
bsrdments at Ningpo. on the south
shore Of Hanechow Bay. all Amer
Jean missionaries were safe, United
States Consul General Clarence e.
Gauss was advised.
American missionaries at Ningpo
were the Rev. and Mrs H. R. D.
Benjamin, Friend Nebr.: Mary Cress-
ley, Sioux Falls. S. OAK: DR.. r. Z.
Standard, Pasadena. Calf: DR.. H.
Thomas. Wollaston, Mass; Miss Flor
ence Webster, Fargo. N Oak; Miss
N. M. Whited. Sydney. Ohio: Mr.. and
Mrs. Elroy Smith. Sioux City, Iowa;
Miss Esther Gauss. st. Louis; Miss
M. E. Duncan, Lansing, Mich.