Evening star., 1938-07-08
GUERR|LLAS STALL
DRIVE ON HANK0W
Japanese Harassed Behind
Lines by Activity Of
lrreguIars.
BACKGROUND

Japanese took Suchow several
months ago and hape strtven stnce
to capture Chengchotc preparatory
to o0enssve against Hankow. Ac-
ttvtttes OF onerrillas, coupled NTH
opening OF Y1lloD Rtper dtkes. have
reduced JapGnese pro0ress to snaAs
pace. Chtnese, unable to wtthstand
terrific pounding OF mechontzed
Japdnese Army, are relying on
guerrilla warfare to cripple their
enemy.
BY the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI. July S.-Japan's big
offensive to reach Hankow stalled to-
day as the japanese Army confronted
new danger from guerrilla bands on
widely separated fronts.
These bands Of Chinese irregulars for
the past year have been attacking
from the rear and limiting japanese
control of occupied areas to the major
railway lines, q few highways and large
cities Ike Nanking, Peiping and T1en-
tsin.
Night attacks have increased sharply
in the past week in Hopeh Province
about Peiping, In East Honan about
kaifeng and Suchow, and in other re-
gions.
Two Towns Captured.
Japanese seeking to end this danger
to their communication lines reported
from Peiping that two towns were cap
tured today. The towns were .guer-
rilla bases for attacks on the Lunghai
Railway.
Forty divisions Of irregulars are con-
centrating in the mountainous regions
OF Shansi Province. Japanese said, and
continually harass japanese garrisons.
During the past week. Chinese said,
the irregulars in a series of night at
tacks prevented resumption OF trafic
on the eastern section of the Lunghai
Railway In Honan Province.
Roads were torn up, bridges wrecked
and garrisons along the railway de-
stroyed. The Tientsin -Pukow Railway
and the Shanghai Hangchow Railways
arc being used only for military pur-
poses.
Desultory fighting with suerrillas in
areas about Shanghai today followed
yesterdays terrorist outbreak against
japanese which resulted In four dead.
Police Precautions Protested. I
The japanese consul general protest.
ed to the Chinese Municipal Council
that police precautions had been in
adequate for the day, first anniversary
Of the start of the war.
The stalled drive for Hankow, pro-
visional capital of China, centered
about Hukow. $50 miles away. skir-
mishes were reported.
Native newspapers publixhed new
regulations by the Chinese ministry of
finance providing that "a products, In
cluding hides, tea. sulphur. eggs, herbs
and silks, require foreign exchange
certificates from the Bank of China.
Foreign authorities saw therein an
attempt to obtain all foreign exchange
possible from exports Strengthening
the Chinese governments financial
position. 1t was doubtful, however.
that the regulations could be enforced
in Shanghai, where Japanese influence
dominates the customs Ufice. 50
Japanese Call Up 25,0e0.
By Radio 70 The Star.
HANKOW. July S-Presaging the
inauguration Of large-scale hostiiities
against the Hankow area, IS 900 Japa-
nese troops moved up the Yangtxe
River toward the front today, accord
Ing to most reliable foreign advices.
Thus far, comparatively few troops
have been involved in the Yangtze
fiehting, but with the admitted occu-
patton Of Hukow, near the entrance
to 80-mile-long Poyang Lake. the
Japanese are likely to thrust SOUTH
ward toward Nanchang. capital of
Kiangsi Province. situated at the lakes