1939-05-17 — Page 1

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SEVERE

Manager

AUSTRALIA'S CHOICEST

BUTTER

FIGHTING

IN CENTRAL HUPEH

Chungking, To-day.

Since the heavy engagements started in Central Hupeh, fighting on other fronts has almost ceased.

The Japanese have withdrawn men from other sec- tors and have thrown them into the Han River front battle.

Severe fighting is going on, particularly in the Sui- hsien area, and at the moment it is most dif- ficult to obtain accurate information.

FOUR DIVISIONS

At the same time it is emphasis- cavalry which started northwards Chunghsiang were driven ed that the Japanese claim to have from encircled the Chinese is untrue. back, so that the Japanese ring is

With Hsiangyang as their ulti-by no means closed. mate goal, the Japanese are ad- vancing on both wings at the same time trying to block the Han River north of Chungking, so as to make Chinese withdrawal impossible. This aim has not been realised.

On the contrary, 2,000 Japanese

To-Day's Vital Cabinet Meeting

MR.

London, To-day.

The Japanese are using four divi- sions in their attempted encircle- ment

manoeuvre, of which half have been withdrawn to east Hupeh as well as south of the Yangtse,

Stressing that little information was available, the Chinese spoke-

man

declared that generally speaking the hilly nature of cen- tral Hupeh favours the mobile Chinese units rather than the heavily mechanised Japanese units, so that as before the Chinese retain the initiative, and are inflict- ing heavy casualties on the Jap-I anese, whose losses last week are estimated at 6,000.

Losses were particularly heavy round Hsinyeh, Ancho, Hsinyeh and Tancho, which were captured and recaptured.

LOSS OF TANCHO

David Lloyd After the loss of Tancho, the George will open the Japanese rushed 3,000 reinforce- ments, and severe fighting is now foreign affairs debate in going on South-east of the town. the House of Commons Chinese reinforcements were also on Friday for the Liber-despatched from Nanyang.

The Chinese spokesman denied

al opposition, and Sir that large-scale fighting was go- Archibald Sinclair willing on, except at Suihshien, as the Japanese have not rounded up the wind up for them.

mobile and more lightly equipped Chinese troops.

The Government will be ques- tioned on the progress of the ne- gotiations with Russia, while

The Japanese have suffered heavy in hand-to-hand fighting,

losses

Turkey, Greece, Rumania and while heavy Chinese losses are ad- Poland will also be discussed. mitted as the result of continuous

The Prime Minister and the air bombing.

Under-Secretary for Foreign

•

Affairs (Mr. R. A. Butler) will be the chief Government speak- ers, while Mr. C. R. Attlee and possibly Mr. Arthur Greenwood will be the principal Labour Party speakers.

PREMIER TO SPEAK EARLY

The Prime Minister is expect- ed to speak early in the debate

The foreign affairs com- mittee of the Cabinet sat for two hours last evening and examined the Russian reply, preliminary to to-day's Cabinet Reuter.

w

(Continued on Page 28),

EMPRESS LINER ANCHORS BELOW QUEBEC

Quebec, To-day.

The "Empress of Australia," with the King and Queen on board, has anchored fourteen miles to the east of Quebec Harbour, off-the village. of St. Jean on the island of Orleans, Reuter,

SWATOW FOREIGNERS ESCAPE

Swatow, To-day. Three Japanese seaplanes raid- ed Swatow this morning, bombing and machine-gunning.

The Bank of Kwangtung aus- tained a direct hit. This build- ing is less than 50 yards from foreigners in Customs Terrace. There were Chinese casualties but all foreigners are safe.-Reuter,

EIGHTH ROUTE

U.S. MISSION DESTROYED

PEIPING, TO-DAY.

PROTEST TO

ANOTHER

JAPAN FROM THE UNITED STATES APPEARS

FORESHADOWED

TO BE BY THE

COMPLETE DESTRUCTION ON MAY 2 OF THE AMERICAN MISSION STATION AT TUNG- PEI, ON THE HONAN-HUPEH BORDER, BY JAPANESE PLANES.

Bombs completely destroyed the church and school, and there were several Chinese casualties. No foreigners were injured.

Japanese The

Army were

ARMY ROUTS JAPS. supplied a year ago with a map

showing the position of the Mis- sion. Reuter.

Trans-

PEIPING, TO-DAY.

Berlin, To-day. GUERILLAS CONTINUE TO

Count Ciano, the Italian Foreign ACTIVE BE EXTREMELY

Minister, will arrive here on Sun- IN THE PEIPING AREA.

day, May 21, on a State visit last- Refugees are flocking in from ing two days, Trans-Ocean learns Huailai, just north of Nankow from a reliable source. Pass, in which Japanese forces 'Ocean. have been engaged with a con- siderable band of the 8th Route there a few days ago, were com- Army.

pletely routed, leaving West of Peiping, near the dead. French Trappist monastery, Jap-

This is according to reliable anese detachments which in- travellers coming in from the vaded 8th Route Army territory hills.

Reuter.

HAVE AN H.B.-

HR

AND THEN TRY!

many