Evening star., 1938-04-27


TdterhchUdng several ,Deeks ago,
hare rallied their forces; strength
ered by fresh arrivals from Japan
and North China, to recover lost
ground. Chinese hopes OF ultimate
D4ctory fade as they recede slo,Dly
before Japanese o1slaughts. Japa-
nese high command in North
China reported shaken up.
By the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI. April 27.-The jap
anese Army has launched a vigorous
campaign in far Northwestern China,
advancing toward spheres Of Soviet
Russian influence.
The new battle area Is within 100
miles Of Outer Mongolia, under pro-
lection Of the Soviet Union, and neu-
tral authorities here believe the drive
may endanger the land routes by
which considerable Russian war sup
plies have reached the Chinese armies
The Japanese today reported cap
ture Of Anpei. so miles northwest of
dotOW, III SulS oil loSlIlCS, NtSOcIIl IL
limit of their drive into the north
west before the bitter winter of that
region closed down.
An-Day Battle at Anpei.
After an all-day battle at Anpei, the
Japanese said. the Chinese left $50
dead and 500 prisoners. Gen. Ma
Chan shan. hero of the Chinese re-
sistance to japanese conquest of Man
churia in 1898, has been reported
commanding the Chinese in that re-
gion.
Neutral experts considered the
Suiyuan drive significant in the light
of japanese desires to extend their
sway over the three Mohammedan
provinces Of Kansu, Ningsia and
Tsinghai to halt the flow of Russian
war supplies to China.
The recently improved motor high
way between China and Soviet Siberia
traverses these provinces, and Lam
chow, capital OF Kansu, has been q
concentration point for motor conveys
and planes flown from Russia. The
Japanese advance, however, is still
more than 400 miles from this route
Chinese Admit Foes Advance.
The Shantung- Kiangsu border Just
north of the vital Lunghai Railway
continued the main battlefield, with
the Chinese admitting slow advances
for the enemy, backed by Furnishing
heavy artillery fire.
Effects Of Japan's concentration Of
power there, however, were felt in
Shansi Province. to the west. A jap
anese report that a force Of 5000
Chinese had been repulsed in an at
tack on Taiyuan. provincial capital
and base for Japanese operations, in
dicated the japanese had given much
ground in Shansi.
A few weeks ago they had advanced
to the western and southern boundaries
Of Shansi.
Above the Lunghai heavy fighting
went on northeast of Taierchwang,
scene of the April 6 Chinese victory,
with large areas devastated BY the
Japanese artillery.
Many Towns in Flames,
Many small villages in the South
shAntung area were In flames, and
thousands Of Chinese farmers were
wandering homeless through the DESC
lated fields.
With the struggle rivaling the fight-
ing at Shanghai In which stubborn
Chinese held on for weeks, there was
increasing indications the Japanese
were concentrating their drive toward
Pihsien. southeast of Taierhchwang,
In an effort to cut the Lunghai rail-
way.
Pihsien Is but 9 miles from that
east-west line feeding all the Chinese
Armies intrenched for 500 miles along
the Yellow River where the southwark
march Of the japanese has been
stopped for weeks.
Gunf1re Near Peiping.
Prom Peiping came reports Of heavy
eunf1re in the hills west of that North
China city near where the undeclared
war started almost 10 months ago.
Although Japanese described the
shooting as artillery practice"
Chinese newspaper men returning
from the scene said fighting started
four days ago in guerrilla attack
on Mentoukou, 20 miles west Of Pei
ping. Part Of the japanese garrison
was said to have escaped by SWIM
ming river.