“WORST HOUR PASSED”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 March 1939, Page 7

“WORST HOUR PASSED”

CHINA'S WAR OUTLOOK WILL FIGHT FOR FREEDOM TO BITTER END. ALL POSSIBLE HELP STILL NEEDED. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. LONDON, March 1. The Chinese Ambassador in London. Mr Quo Tai-chi, speaking in Liverpool today. ' expressed the opinion that China's darkest hour had passed, though she needed all the help that the finance and diplomacy could give. She would fight for freedom to the bitter end. China now had 2.400,000 men in training, of whom one-third would be employed against the Japanese in the occupied areas, one-third in position warfare and one-third in 1 intensified guerrilla warfare. Mr Quo Tai-chi that the Japanese were trafficking 'in drugs among the children of the occupied areas. A Shanghai message states that the new Japanese offensive in Hupeh beyond Hankow is now within 20 miles of the Chinese war base at Tsaoyarig. HEAVY FIGHTING CHINESE GUERILLAS ACTIVE. JAPANESE OCCUPY SEVERAL TOWNS. CHUNGKING, March 1. Heavy fighting is in progress north of Kiangsu, and the Japanese advancing have already occupied several towns. The Chinese report that they have cleared the Japanese from the mountains in south-western Shansi. Guerilla'bands have become increasingly active on the north bank of the Yangtse River below Hankow, in the Japanese rear, because of the transference of large Japanese reinforcements above Hankow, preparatory to attacking Shansi. The Japanese have already over-run an extensive area beyond Hankow.