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COMMUNISTS CLOSE TO CANTON
Powerful Drive on Wide Front
GUERRILLA AID
HONG-KONG, Tuesday.-Powerful Com- munist armies advancing through the South China mountains in a wide arc are less than 100 miles from their goal of Canton, with almost nothing to stop them, military observers stated here to-day.
Other forces are battling at Waichow, 70 miles east of Canton and 45 miles from Hong-Kong.
Harassed by thousands of guerrillas spring- ing up in front of the regular Communist forces, about 40,000 Nationalists are defend- ing a ragged 200-mile semi-circle running north from the Government capital to the port of Swatow.
emergency
The town of Lungmenn, 70 miles north- east of Canton, is said to have fallen.
Thousands of Chinese refugees are pouring. into Hong-Kong from Canton, Amey, Swatow, to swell the problems of the already enormously overcrowded colony.
Railway authorities said arrivals from Canton were 400 a day above normal. Air- way companies are running extra services.
Shipping companies report a 300 per cent. increase in passengers from Amoy-where the Communists are only 20 miles away- to Hong-Kong.-Reuter.
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31 AUG 100
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