Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1938-01-27
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
CONTINUED from Page u
China War.

China War.
Surveys of international news these
days are in the nature of follow-ups;
so with the japanese war against
China which is, in a tragically lit
eral sense, continuous perform
ance." From a military viewpoint,
nothing of great importance has hap
pened on the arena of war. The
japanese armies, in two columns,
are still trying to merge at Suchow,
and still meeting with rather fierce
Chinese resistance; there have been
reports of not wholly unimportant
Chinese victories in Shantung and
Chekiang and, generally speaking, of
but little progress on the part of the
invaders. The japanese appear to be
making plans for cutting off China's
foreign supplies through Canton and
are trying to disrupt all connection
between that southern city and the
rest of the country but have made
an agreement with the British to the
effect that Canton itself is not to be
bombarded.
In Tokyo, the japanese government
has made two things clear-at the re-
quest of the parliament: 1t will,
in the first place, pursue the war until
China agrees to be what the japanese
call "friendly"-that is, until the Bit
ter end, and, in the second place,
the japanese treasury can bear the
burden of the war; at least, that is
the statement of the minister OF
finance.
Formerly, reference has been made
to new japanese peace overtures hav-
ing been made, through the German
embassy at HankoW, to China, but
that country's government has re-
iterated that it will not talk peace
as long as Japan does not recognize
Chinese sovereignty and independ-
ence; Japan, on the other hand, de-
clares that it will dictate peace terms
to Marshal Chang Kai-shek, but it
will, absolutely, never negotiate with
him or his government, so the con-
flict appears to be as far from a
settlement as ever.
Teruels Fate.
While these lines are being writ
ten, the fate of the Strategically i'm
portant city of Teruel in Spain is
still unsettled, and it is impossible
to ascertain whether it is in the hands
of the government or General Fran
cisco FRANCOIS rebel troops; one thing
does seem clear, and that is that
the government has not definitely
re-captured the city. Fierce battles
are raging about it every day, and
reports have it that the American
Lincoln battalion has done valiant
work in wiping out strong group of
Moorish cavalry which was fighting
under the colorS of Franco; but even
such victory does not alter the sit
uation very materially. Teruel is of
importance because its ultimate fate
foreshadows that of Madrid, besieged
by the rebels since October, 1886.
BOmbardments.
An outstanding feature of the last
few days of the Spanish civil war
has been a series of rebel lombard
ments of Barcelona, Valencia and
other cities commandments which
are said to have resulted in the Kill
ling of between 600 and 5000 persons,
many of them women and children;
the reason that the estimate of those
killed is as uncertain as indicated,
is that no one really knows what
are the actual facts. The lombard
ments of Barcelona are said to have
exceeded in horror all similar former
attacks.
Rebel filters are alleged to have
bombed the British freig ht e r
'Thorpeness" near the port of Tara
coma; two men of the crew were
killed, seven were wounded, five are
reported missing and supposed killed.
The British government has sent notes
of protest to Franco, and there, no
doubt, the matter will rest.
English Irish Conference.
In London, Prime Minister canon
de Valera has had conference with
British Prime Minister Neville Cham
berlain concerning the future status
of Ireland. 1t will be recalled that
few weeks ago the new constitu-
ton of the Irish Free State-hence-
forth to be known as Eire-went into
effect, and that de Valera expressed
the hope of complete Irish unification,
that is, that the six northern coun-
ties (Ulster), still loyal to England,
would merge with the Dublin repub-
lie Chamberlain told de Valera that
the British government really did not
object seriously to the plan, but he
thought it was matter that should
be decided by the Ulster people them
selves. There was, on the part of
Chamberlain, a willingness to dis
cuss economic problems with Fire,
but he thought they ought to be pre-
coded by an expression of public