Tsinan, 24.
Placing itself in a position for a final thrust at Linyi (Yichow), the only remaining Chinese stronghold in south-eastern Shantung, a strong Japanese column yesterday afternoon ^"cupied Tushuchen, eight Kilometres north-east of their goal. In entering the town, the column broke through strong Chinese defence works, manned by Szechuen troops.
The fall of Tushtchen, Japanese military authorities here claimed.
"spelled the doom of Linyi."
On the right flank of the Tsinpu front, a Chinese force of 3,000 men was reported to have made a vain and costly attempt to re-take Lincheng, an important railway station 40 miles from Hsuchow. The Chinese column, reports received here seid, crossed Lake Weishan in junks on March 22. The tittle flotilla was spotted early yesterday morning, and Army aircraft were immediately dispatched to' bomb it.
The junks were simultaneously made the target of intensive fire from artillery and machine-guns in Tsaoma, eight Kilometres south-west of Lincheng. The badly depleted force, the reports claimed, fled back to its base.—Domei.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.