Evening star., 1938-02-16
CHINESE CRUMB[E,
JAPANESE REPORT
Van of Attackers Army in
Sight of Lunghai Line,
They Declare.
BACKGROUND

American marines in Shanghai
haze come into friction seDerdl
times NTH japanese troops Which
conquered Shanghai last tau. Et-
fort OF japanese troops to enter
the American defense zone OF the
international Settlement thwarted
once Monday and ttUice yesterday.
japanese haze insisted upon taking
oDer all rights OF government in
Shanghai area.
By the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI. Feb. 16-Chinese re-
siStance to Japan's smashing on
slaughts north of the Yellow River
was reported crumbling tonight, per-
mitting the Japanese war machine to
roll on almost unreSisted
Japanese vanguards were reported
almost within sight of the vital Lung
hal Railway and the strategic cities
of Chengchow and Kaifeng, just south
Of the river.
Japanese Army communicates de-
clared the japanese column driving
down the Peiping- -Hankow Railway
toward its junction at Chengchow with
the Lunghai had advanced 80 miles
since its offensive was launched six
days ago. Fifty Chinese military po-
sitions were reported taken in this
advance.
The drive toward Chengchow and
Kaifeng threatened to cut off the re-
treat of the main Chinese armies bat
Ting to save the Lunghai corridor
further east.
Pillb0xes Abandoned.
The main Chinese defense line, at
Chihsien. some As miles north of the
Yellow River, was said to have crum-
bled before powerful Japanese blows
Disheartened Chinese troops were
abandoning their carefully prepared
pillboxes and camouflaged trenches.
On another sector of the Lunghai
front, however, the Chinese claimed
successes. They reported that an Of
fensive led by Gen. Ii Tsung- jen,
Kwangsi Province warlord in South
western Shantung Province, had
blocked the Japanese advance toward
the Lunghai from the northeast.
A japanese garrison was reported
surrounded in the walled town Of
Tsinging and to be fighting desper-
ately for survival.
japanese Patrols Turned Back.
= In Shanghai United States marines
turned back for the fourth time today
an armed Japanese patrol of 13 men
attempting to enter the American de-
tense sector of Shanghai's Interna-
tional Settlement.
The incident came as marine Off
GERS and Japanese authorities con-
ferred in an attempt to settle amicably
the issue of authority in the Settle
ment.
The Americans maintained they
were capable of patroling the area
without japanese help. Japanese said
their patrols were sent to the sector
to supervise japanese who entered it
informally"
Stricter japanese control of Shang-
hal in another direction was seen in a
disclosure by A. M. Chapelain, post
Office director general, that he had
been notified that japanese censors
would move in on post ofiices ''in the
near future"
japanese Peril U. s. Missionaries.
KAIFENG, China, Feb. IS R.-
Several American woman missionaries
Of the Independent Gospel Boat Mis-
sion were endangered today and one
was injured when japanese airplanes
bombed the missions boats.
The boats were engaged in relief
work among destitute Chinese along
the Yellow River ut the town of
Tsaokang when the low-nying planes
dropped their bombs
Miss Helen Bailey of North Caro-
lima. formerly connected with the
Southern Presbyterian Mission, suf-
fered painful shrapnel injuries. Two
OF the missions milk goats were killed
After dropping the projectiles the
planes turned machine guns on Miss
Baileys Chinese helpers as they fled
to nearby trenches. None was hurt.