Most of Occupied Areas Still Chinese Chungking, Nov. 17.
Or provinces in China under Japanese military occupation, only seve: per cent. are actually under Japanese control, according to reports received here from the Hopei, Shantung, Honan, Shansi, Kiangsu. Chekiang, Anhwei, and Kiangsi Provincial Governments. This was revealed by a spokesman of the Executive Yuan at the press conference yesterday.
The spokesman of the National Relief Commission stated that up to October 24, 1938, Japanese aircraft had bombed 19 provinces and 314 towns during a total of 3.318 raids, and had killed 29.968 persons, wounding 37,222.—Reuter.
Chungking, Nov. 17.
The large-scale withdrawal of Chinese troops from the northeastern part of Hunan province is believed here to indicate an important change in the Chinese military plans. As informed quarters here point. out, the Japanese have advanced so far into the province that the loss of further important strategic positions in the mountainous regions of Hunan could be prevented by the Chinese only with great difficulty. The Chinese are compelled to withdraw their troops, it is declared, because the railway line running through the lowlands in East Hunan would enable the Japanese troops io advance with great rapidity. Japanese mechanized units would likewise be able to push forward quickly in the lowlands.
The Chinese therefore plan to concentrate the greater part of their troops in the western and southern parts of Hunan province along the boundary between that province and Kwangtung. The mountainous territory there, it is pointed out, would favour the Chinese defence. The Chinese high command is above all anxious to prevent the Canton-Hankow Railway from falling completely into the hands of the Japanese.
Japanese Near Pingkiang
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.