By oficial pronouncements' and in-&pired articles in the pres, the ese public has been well pre.
to consider the fall of Hankow marking only a phase rather than end of the Japanese campaign in China, This idea is being continually din-med into the public, and by now no
fect. Japanese circles, both official appears to exist on the subahd unofficial, still speak of the possibility of the war in China lasting "five, ten or even twenty years.
Scores of special correspondents, including a group of well-known authors, are in China "covering" the drive on Hankow. Reports from China are in optimistic vein. No setbacks are recorded. The "irresist ible advance" of the imperial forces ds stated to be progressing steadily and smoothly, with all opposition, no matter how stubborn, being gradually overcome.
Japanese hopes of engaging the Central armies in a large scale frontal collision and delivering a crushing blow are realised by army and other quarters as being difficult of achieve-7 ment, for it is known that the Chinese plan of campaign will hardly permit this.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.