Tsinan, Apr. 1, According to Military Intelligence reports from the front, the Shantung Provincial Forees are steadily falling back upon Tsinan in face of the continued advance of the invading Shansi units which have now passed beyond Pingyaan and are heading straight for the Yellow River along the Railway.
It is offic no order to take the offensive the Northern rebels has been received from the Commander-in-Chief's Headquarters but the Provincial Government Forces are prepared to hold the Yellow River! Bridge against attacks—Kuo Min, 'A Threat to Hupeh Hankow, Apr. 1.
Reports reaching here from southern Honan state that the there has been quiet in spit fact that Kuominchun units are now in occupation of Chengchow. The northwestern rebels, according to the dispatches, are advancing eastwards along the Lung-Hai Railway Line apparently for a joint offend sive with the Shansi units in Shantung against Hsuchow, the point of intersection of the Lung-Hai and the Tientsin-Pukow Lines.
A strong defence line has been taken up by the Goverment forees near: Sincheng, south of Chengchow ed to "the Thi Route Forces."
It ig also reported from Taiyus that "General. Feng.
Vu-hsiai assumed the title of "V; ni ander-in-Chief of the Army of the CI Shanchow at the same time yesterday. The Kuominchun will be known henceforth as "the Second Route Forces.
Mi ry circles here say that all preparations for the Shansi units to advance into Shantung along two "atate routes are now completed that the order to attack will be issued upon the arrival of Yen Hsi-shan at Shihkiachuas Tt-is thought that the rebels will concentrate their attack on Hsuchow i strength stead of dividing thei and attempting to capture both Mankow and Hsuchow at the same time-—Kuo Min,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.