Japanese Play Cat and Mouse

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 67, 11 December 1937, Page 5

Japanese Play Cat and Mouse

-Prags Assp

NANKING TACTICS Chinese Plan to Draw Them Inland TOKIO'S PEACE TERMS

(Bj Telegraph-

.'-Pcpyright.j

(Eeceived 11, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, Dee, 10. The Chinese Embassy in London has issued the following communique: "Desperate fighting raged on the out« gkirts of Nanking. The Japanese vanguards made daring thruscs towards the two southern gates in the city and captured Taehiaoehang air-field, encountering stiffi resistance. However, the invaders were forced to retire. "Seventy Japanese planes bombed Nanking in relays, dropping 300 bombs. In a raid on Nanchang, the Japanese bombed the medical college and women 's hospital, resulting in eight deaths." The Daily Telegraph's Shanghai coirespondent says: "The Japanese activities around Nanking are those of a cat playing with a mouse. Well-inform-ed people believe that the Japanese can capture the eity as soon as their leaders desire. Already Japanese tanks have been twice inside the breached walls and have come out again. The army command is still hoping that China will sue for peace before the capital falls. The Chinese, ou the contrary, are hoping to draw the Japanese deep into the hinterland after the capital is taken. "The Japanese peace terms, I learn from semi-offlcial sources, are nothing less than complete domination of North and Central China, and the establishment of a Japanese concession in Shanghai northward of Soochow Creek. Foreign rights and Customs will be respected, but Japan will constitutc herself judge on the merlts of tneir claims."