1938-01-18 — Page 9

THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 18, 1938.

GENERALISSIMO

CHINESE

Page

REORGANISES

ARMIES

NORTHERN

Large-Scale Offensive Expected Within Two Weeks

Vital Battle For Railway Junction

Hankow, To-day.

Chinese military circles in Hankow believe that preparations for a Chinese offensive on all fronts are well under way, and that a general attack will be launched within the next two weeks.

General Chiang Kai-shek, it is stated, has per- sonally supervised concentrations of troops and has reorganised the Officers' Corps.

It is expected that the major battle will be on the northern front, where the Japanese are appar- ently determined to capture Hsuchow, the import- ant railway junction on the Tientsin-Pukow Rail- way, at all costs.

On the other hand, the Chin- Hangchów front. At the moment. ese realise the vital importance it is extremely difficult to

secure

The new Zoo at Dudley has three girl keepers who look after the birds and smaller animals Photo-shows-Two of Dudley's girl keepers with some of their charges, seated on an old gun. The Zoo is in the grounds of old Dudley Castle. (Fox Copyright).

of the town, and are equally de-first hand knowledge on the deve- WILL YOU MAKE

termined to prevent its capture. lopments on the Hangchow front, Chinese military quarters since the Japanese do not allow state that the offensive has

press representatives to visit the long been planned but that fronts. its carrying out has been de- layed by the necessity of eliminating “unreliable off- cers" beforehand.

TO PREVENT BREAK

THROUGH

Principal aim of the offensive will be to prevent the Japanese concentrating sufficient troops at any given point to enable them to stage a general break through.

It is believed that the offensive will begin on the northern front, where the concentration of Chinese forces along the Tien- tsin-Pukow, Peiping-Hankow and Lunghai Railways has now been completed. Trans-Ocean.

HANGCHOW ATTACK

Shanghai, To-day.

Military observers here believe, however, that the construction of fortifications which are now being built in Pootung and in the vicinity of Shanghai was decided upon in view of the situation on the Hang- chow front.Trans-Ocean.

WAGE INCREASE FOR SCOTS BOY MINERS

London, To-day. Scots boy miners will have a wage increase after a year's negotiations. Altogether 6,000. boys will. be affected, and they will be allowed adult wages from 18 years of age, instead of from 21, as at present, [in England and Wales.

¿

Japanese quarters here confirm At the age of 15, they will get a reports that the Chinese have laun-minimum wage of 4/1d a day for ched a concentrated offensive on underground work, and 3/1d for Hangchow, the large port south of above ground work. Shanghai, which was occupied by No boys under 15 years of age the Japanese shortly before Christ- will be allowed to work under-

ground-Reuter.

mas.

The Japanese were apparently completelly surprised by the attack and-the-Chinese-are said to have gained considerable ground.

Yesterday the Chinese troops were only 10 kilometres southwest Hangchow having reached Feyang, where five Chinese divisions. now engaged in heavy fighting with the Japanese. These five divisions

are

COLUMBIAN DELEGATE IN LONDON

London, To-day. Dr. Eduardo Santos, delegate of League of Nations, who is now on

A

FOURTH?

(Continued from Page 8)

licensed to dispense good fellow-

ship.

must seek a sympathetic ear into The golfer, after every game, which

to pour his sorrows and triumphs. True, they both speak at once and neither listens, but the point, to note is the need for sym- pathetic contact.

I am not unmindful of the social dangers of obsession with these friendly games. I recall · particu- larly the case of my friend the Vicar of Much Mucking, who could never rid his mind of golf. During service one morning he began to speculate, characteristically, on the problem of whether it would be possible to lift a ball from the top of the chancel steps over the heads of the congregation into the font at the other end.

GERMANO- YUGO-SLAV TALKS

Berlin, To-day. Herr Hitler yesterday received. the Yugo-Slav Premier, M. Stoy- adinovitch, in the Palace of Gen- eral Goering.

Also present were the German Foreign Minister, Baron von Neu- rath, and the German Minister in Belgrade

The

1

conversations. lasted for over an hour —Trans-Ocean.

JUST ANOTHER

MANOEUVRE,

SAYS HANKOW

Hankow, To-day. While the Chinese press regards

It was still on his mind when he the Japanese Government's mani- rose to preach. Coming to the sen-festo as signal for a new large- tence in his notes, "How can such scale-- offensive, authoritative

a task be achieved?" he paused and Chinese quarters believe that the said in a loud voice, “I believe it Tokyo statements is yet another at- could be done with a mashie shot!" tempt to persuade the Chinese Gov- Many parishioners were shocked. ernment to accept the conditions But to my mind it served but to formulated by Japan in December. show the natural, sociable desire of In a statement to the press yes- the golfer to take other people into terday, Dr. H. H. Kung made it- his confidence.

clear, however, that conditions im- plying violation of Chinese sover- ordínary games is better under-eignty would be unacceptable to

China.

The beneficent social effect of

stood if you consider their origin. According to authropologists, all

ball games originated in the ancientma

China was willing to conclude a ritual of the scape-goat, by which, sincere and permanent peace, but in primtive societies, the sins of the only on honourable conditions.

Dr. Kung denied the people were ceremonially placed on

Japanese Central the head of a goat, which was then charge that the Chinese

Government was pursuing dilatory tactics:

have advanced rapidly on the road the Republic of Columbia to the expelled from the community,

running parallel with the northern bank of the Tsientang River and

have joined forces with other units

which had crossed the river.

YUKANG CAPTURED

.. visit to London will be guest of

the United Kingdom Government at

luncheon on Wednesday,

of

car-

As time went on the ceremony de-

own

rying, it was hoped, the sins with it. generated into a game, the animal being substituted by a ball. Foot- The President of the Board

ball symbolises the attempt of each Trade, Mr. Oliver Stanley, will pre-

side to keep sin out of their The only units which had crossed side, and Lord Cranborne and Ad- territory and get it into someone the river west of Hangchow were miral Sir Martin Dunbar-Nasmith, else's. also Chinese troops and are now Second Sea Lord, will also be pre- only 15 kilometres from the city. Bent British Wireless.

On the Shihsien road, a force of about eight Chinese divisions have advanced towards Yukang,

is said to already be

hands of Chinese

which

· He explained that the initiative

at present was not resting with the

Chinese Government since certain

points in the Japanese conditions re- quire further elucidation. Ocean.

Trana-

dart or other missile, what you are really doing is ridding your- self of sin.

I trust I have explained the es- sential difference between bridge and other more human pastimes, and

The Japanese are rein-Chee, a workman, was admitted to]

At the close of the game the los- ing side. (that is, the one that has been landed with the sin) sy

symboli- cally places the sin on the head of Suffering from the effects of gas the referee, throws him into the the poisoning while cleaning a box at harbour, and goes home to tea with convinced you that you need not

the Hong Kong Gas Co., Leung souls as white as snow.

worry about the behaviour of bridge Every time, therefore, you kick, players. They are not like other throw or otherwise propel a ball, people.

forcements from Shanghai to

the the Queen Mary Hospital.