NOT SERIOUS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 May 1943, Page 3

NOT SERIOUS

THREAT TO CHUNGKING JAPANESE WOULD NEED 1,000,000 TROOPS. TO MAKE MULTI-HEADED DRIVE. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) 'CHUNGKING, May 29. The Chinese have readjusted their central positions in Hupeh province after severe fighting all along the line, states the Chungking communique. The Japanese advanced north-west of Ichang, but were thrown back in a sector south of the Yangtze with heavy losses.

The Chungking “National Herald,” which is regarded as the mouthpiece of the Chinese Foreign Office, disputes the suggestion that the present Japanese operations are aimed against Chungking. The paper says the Japanese need at least 1,000,000 troops making a multi-headed drive to have a chance of taking Chungking.

“Despite the Japanese march toward Chungking, evacuation is not even considered,” says the “New York Herald-Tribune” .Chungking correspondent. “Experts think the number of enemy troops engaged along the Yangtse insufficient for a drive over several hundred miles of mountainous territory. Nevertheless, it may have serious consequences whatever its goal.”

It is officially announced in Chungking that the Vice-Minister of War, General Chen Cheng, commands the forces opposing the Japanese offensve in Hupeh Provincme. The general, in the past two years, has concentrated on building up a strong Free China community in the western Hupeh area, which is strategically the main bulwark of tho 1 defence of Chungking. The announcement warned that the Japanese offensive may be only diversionary tactics. Japan is bound to make desperate attempts to force a show-down in the Far East in the near future, but an offensive against Australia is the most likely development. OFFICE OF PRESIDENT CHUNGKING, May 30. An extraordinary session of the central executive committee of the Kuomintang amended the organic law of Chinese Government to enable Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek to assume the duties of President of China if Lin Sen. who is 81 and who suffered a stroke, is pronounced incapacitated.