Three Catholic Brothers Still Held Near Peiping Peiping, Oct. 4.
An expedition of infantry and tanks has been sent by the Japanese military authorities here against the Chinese bandits infesting the western environs of Peiping.
So far the Japanese were deterred by consideration for the safety of foreign hostages, but after consultation with the foreign authorities concerned it was decided that military action could be delayed no longer in view of the increasing depredations of the bandits.
Three Catholic brothers of French, German and Spanish nationality, kidnapped from the seminary at Heis-hankow five weeks ago, are still being held 25 miles from Peiping.
This morning Japanese aircraft scattered leaflets in the French language over the bandits' lair giving encouragement to the captives—Reuter. man power.
1t was pointed out that the Japanese had been concentrating their five on Chinese positions from Tsing-chia-che to Chung-hsin-ko to the west of the Lotien-Liuhang highway. Following the destruction of their temporary trenches, the Chinese had further withdrawn westward to a line between Ting-chia-che and Pai-shao. North of this sector Chinese troops continue to hold the Yingchia-che and Hsiehtsun line.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.