Further deterioration of China's anti-Japanese guerilla campaign, whose efficacy always has been minimized by the Japanese command in North, Central and South China, was claimed by a Japanese Army spokesman, yesterday when he gave a detailed review of the recent gverila situation along the lower Yangtze.
The loss of. morale, disorganization and degeneration of guerillas into bandits were aggravated by the fall of the Wuhan cities and Canton. The spokesman alleged that the depredations of Chinese mobile units were fast alienating them from the populace, which feared pillage. Deterioration of the guerilla warfare was attributed to a lack of money.
Admitting the presence of 50,000 to 60,000 guerillas ' along the lower Yangtze, the spokesman claimed that three groups totalling 11,000 recently surrendered in the area between The Soviet's accusation, which has aroused deep irritation in official Japanese quarters, is based on Japan's alleged violation of the provision that not more than fifteen Japanese soldiers are to be stationed along each mile of the South Manchuria Railway. Japanese quarters admit the charge, but justify the stationing of more troops than the number stipulated on the ground that the establishment of Manchoukuo as an "independent State," and the conclusion of the "Japan-Manchoukuo Defence Protocol," have completely altered the situation, making the Soviet complaint absurd.
Furthermore, the Soviet's "dilatory tactics" in dealing with the fishery question are believed in Tokyo to be in the nature of a reprisal for Manchoukuo's failure to complete payment of the purchase price of the Chinese Eastern (North Manchuria) Railway.
According to Japanese quarters, the arrears, which they claim amount to only £6,000,000, are not being met because of the Soviets refusal to recognize Manchoukuo counter-demands.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.