Evening star., 1938-05-05
II of 80 Articles Are Put
in Force as Concession
to Army Leaders.
USE OF ACT FOLLOWS
CAMPAIGN SETBACKS
Chinese Claim New Captures in
Counter -Drive-Guerrillas
Reported Near Peiping.

japanese Dtet IN March passed
drastic la,D for mobilizing of all
Japan's resources in men and
nealth. La1U 1UaS not to be used in
Chinese campaign, according to
promise made by Premier Prince
Fumimaro Konoye, Uho faced re-
rolt OF Parliament against centering
ercesSipe rar potUer in government.
BY the Associated Press.
TOXIC. May 5.-The japanese gov
ernment today invoked IL of the 80
articles of the so-called "Nazi model
national mobilization law, giving the
government unlimited power to draft
Japan's manpoWer and economic re-
sources in war emergency.
The invocation was concession to
army leaders, who demanded use of
the measure to intensity the campaign
in China
The imperial ordinance promulgat-
Ing the law was printed in the official
gazette completing the last legal
formality. 1t applies to Japan proper,
Korea and Formosa.
Premier Prince Fumimaro Konoye
won passage of the law in the March
sitting of Parliament, but had promised
1t would not be used in the present
conflict unless the military situation
became serious enough to warrant
Sections of the law invoked require
police registration of all adults and
empower the government to examine
reports of any business.
Chinese Claim Matowchen.
SHANGHAI, May (Py.-An in
spired Chinese Army claimed capture
of MatoWchen. walled town four miles
northwest of Tancheng, as continued
rapid progress" was reported today
in erasing the second big japanese
offensive in South Shantung Province.
Matowchen was considered by Chi
nese commanders the key to Tan
cheng, which had become the SOUTH
ernmost point of the japanese ad-
vance toward the Lunghai Railway,
is miles away.
Tancheng was encircled and be-
leaguered. Chinese said, though it had
formed the east side of a salient until
counter-offensives from the opposite
corner at Taierhchwang apparently
Strengthened out the battle line.
japanese Retreat Elsewhere.
At the same time a sudden attack
by Gen. Mao Chen-Lieu'S 57th Army
was reported to have driven the
Japanese back toward Antungwei, on
the Yellow Sea, in battle along the
Shantung-Kiangsu border. The at
tack relieved the threat Of a Japa-
nese thrust from the north at Hal
chow, seaport terminus of the Lunghai
Railway.
Pressure was being increased on
Tancheng by reinvigorated army,
which qualified foreign observers on
fighting efficiency and striking power
since it retired, an humbled and routed
rabble, from the shambles Of Chapel
in Shanghai and from the central
government capital at Marking.
A month ago it struck decisively at
3,
treat. the first major defeat Of a
modern japanese army.
The japanese Army recoiled, but
gathered its forces and, greatly reirf-
forced for supreme effort to wipe
out the stain, renewed the drive to
connect its seaboard conquests from
Manchukuo to HangchoW Bay.
iy,i
ported their artillery within range Of
the Lunghai Railway.
Chinese Change Tactics.
While japanese superiority in ar
tiliery, planes and mechanical equip
ment was still powerful advantage,
observers on the front said Chinese
were adapting their tactics to minimize
their lack of equipment.
These tactics consisted of night at
tacks, when the japanese were unable
to use their supporting arms eff
GENTLY in aid of the infantry, and
maneuvering of the Japanese into
hand-to-hand combat.
In these close encounters Chinese
used hand grenades and big swords
and made their numerical superiority
count, whereas the japanese artillery
was useless.
japanese naval aviation was report
ed busy with bombing attacks upon the
Lunghai Railway and five important
points along the Canton Railway.
Chinese said a bombing attack by
japanese upon Kinhwa, capital of
Chekiang Province, resulted in 40
casualties and many houses destroyed.
Guerrillas Reported Near Peiping.
PEIPING, May LP-The windows
OF this Japanese-held North China
city ratified today to what military au-
thorities called bombing practice" as
reliable foreign sources told of the
approach of Chinese guerrilla forces te
within few miles of Peiping.
The guerrillas raided Langfang, less
than 80 miles southeast Of Peiping on
the Peiping- -T:entsin Railway, last
week and today were reported near
the Paomachang race course south
west of the city.
The bombing practice" started yes
terday. All roads to the Marco Polo
Bridge area, where the Chinese-J -Japa-
nese war broke out last July Z were
closed to general traffic.
Army headquarters reiterated q
warning that nationals of third pow
ers in areas occupied by japanese
forces would lose protection to their
lives and property if they communi-
Gated military secrets to the enemy
The army statement said some
third-power nationals, through mis-
directed sympathy" were disregardine
a similar warning Of last october.