They run about 100 yards away: from the line, are about twelve fect deep and wide, and have crossings only at very rare intervals, which are said to be guarded by Japanese soldiers or Chinese police. This won derful strategic work, which has been constructed by the forced labour of the population from villages. adjoining the line on either side, is how ported to be completed, The Japan-press refers to it as the "Long "Trench" and proudly compares it to the great historic works of the past, such as the Great Wall of China of the Grand Canal; though as it is said to have taken only three months construct, the claim would seem to be 1 slight -exaggeration.
The idea of this trench system is double one, military and economic, the first case, it is meant to cut off the guerilla bands operating in the opel plains to the west of the railway from their main body in the hills on the east side, In the second, It is hoped to effect an economic blockade of those hills, and prevent any goods reaching the Eighth Route Army who, despite all the mopping-up operations, still reign supreme there.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.