Evening star., 1938-05-16

BACKGROUND
Fipe- -ntonth-lon japanese ofen-
sipe to conquer Central China cul-
nlinating In uictory In spite of stout
resistdEce BY Chinese and major
defeat they inflicted upon japanese
at Tdierhch,Ddng about month ago.
Capture OF east-,OeSt Lunghat rail-
iDdy and junction city of SuchoD
Mould consolidate japanese con-
quests in North China and Yangtse
Valley area.
Fy the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI, May 16.-Japanese
Army spokesmen tonight announced
that Nippon's gigantic net of steel was
steadily being drawn tighter around
strategic Suchow, with one column
driving forward less than 10 miles
from that city.
This column, leading in what the
japanese called the race for the nerve
center of the Central China battle
ARIA was advancing after capturing
Siaohsien, IS miles southwest Of
Suchow.
The war offered the dramatic
spectacle of japanese forces estimated
at 100000, well equipped with tanks,
planes and heavy artillery, moving in
from all directions on Suchow, where
the vital East-West Lunghai Railway
crosses the North-South Tientsin-
Pukow Line.
Declare Lunghai Cut.
japanese declared they had cut the
Lunghai both at Tangshan, west of
the junction, and Sinanchen, to the
east Roughly, a circle of some 40
miles radius described the contracting
japanese net, inside which the Chinese
strength was estimated at 20 divisions
of 1000 or 1000 men each.
In Peiping Japanese officers esti-
mated the Chinese strength be-
tween Sinanchen and Lanfeng, 200
miles west of Suchow, at 80 divi-
stons.)
Sharply challenging japanese as
sertions that the Chinese must either
surrender or perish, spokesman for
the Chinese high command at Hankow
declared the japanese were still re-
mote from the Lunghai both in dis
talnce and strength"
The Japanese asserted 1t would be
only a matter of hours before they
actually assaulted the strategic city,
for which they have been fighting for
months.
Chang Reported Fled.
A japanese Army spokesman de-
clared that Gen. Chang Kai-shek,
China's war leader, had fed by air
plane May II to Chungkins, one of
China's temporary capitals. Chung
king, in Szechwan Province, is on the
Yangtze River, 1000 miles from the
sea.
The spokesman said "Our reports
indicate Chang Kai-shek's health is
precariaus and that he is constantly
attended by nurse"
He said Japanese intelligence reports
also revealed" that Gen. Ii Tsung-
sen, commander Of the China's CEN
tral front armies, had evacuated his
Suchow headquarters and his present
whereabouts is unknown"
Encirclement of Suchow was accom-
plished, the japanese said, by closing
the last gap to the west, just below the
Ldnghai Railway, near Tangshan.
This railroad town Is approximately so
miles west of Suchow.
Approach Suchow From East.
The japanese said troops which yes
terday cut the Junghai line near SIN
anchen, in Kiangsu Province 81 miles
east of Suchow, were pushing rapidly
westward toward the junction city.
Pihsien, long besieged city 25 miles
northwest of Suchow, was captured
and the Chinese defenders were driv-
en- across the grand canal, the Japa-
nese dispatches said.
General Count Juichi Terauchi, COM
mander of japanese forces in North
China, moved his headquarters to an
undisclosed point somewhere south
OF Peiping," assuming personal COM
rnand of the final drive" to crush
Chinese resistance in the Suchow
railway zone.
Paoting Seizure Reported.
Meanwhile. foreign sources In
Shanghai heard that Paoting, impor-
tant city in Central Hopeh Province,
had been surrounded and besieged by
10000 Chinese troops and that fight
ing was going on in the suburbs. Ten
Americans are said to be in Paoting.
Chinese dispatches indicated greater
guerrilla activity Of Chinese troops in
Kiangsu, Chekiang, Anhwei. Fukien
and Kiangsi Provinces was expected
Former red guerrillas were reported
reerganized under Gen. Yeh Ting and
detailed to harass Japanese in occu-
pied areas.
: AT Annoy and Foochow, along the
South China Coast, where Japanese
landing activities in the last week
indicated a drive would be made
against the Canton-Hankow Railroad,
the situation was reported quiet