The apparently prosperous atmosphere of Peiping is. however, rather Aeceptive, and the city Is tittle more than_an island in the midst of a sea of trouble. To. the south are. the Water-logged and famine-stricken ivaas of the central plain, while alt along the foot of the hills viotont fighting has once more broken out between the Japanese forees and the so-catled guerillas, Who started it, ly hard to say. For a time, military operations had ceased almost entirety the Japanese having apparently given any Idea of trying to pacify the hin "country to. the west. And the Bighth Route Army, or guerillas, whatever one fikes to call them, were quite content to be Toft in peace to organize the countryside and, for their. part, made no attempt to' raid the Japanese areas.
Early this month the Japanese made A concentric advance into the hills, one force moving Hallway. Chatlanys hid been occupied by the Japan-eke forest on several previ ceasions, but. ive the intervening periods had been one of the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army.
This time, the Japanese are report ced to have the intention of garzison-Ing the place permanently, in order to control (his rasion and also to keep open the route between Mentoukort fund Chaitany. Their idea apparently is to extend the Mentoukow railway the 50 odd miles to Chaitang; the survey has already been made.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.