Hindenburglary & Explosions

China's heavily fortified defense line, the so-called "Hindenburg Line" about 200 miles north of captured Nanking (see p. 17), was being approached from both sides by fresh Japanese thrusts last week with such vigor that Hankow dispatches reported the aplomb of the Chinese Government there "shattered."

Private messages from Hankow, where Chinese censors worked overtime on news dispatches, reported that Chinese statesmen of the Kuomintang or National People's Party who set up the Government over ten years ago (TIME, May 2, 1927, et ante) "now fear the common people of China more than they do the Japanese, and would compromise with Japan . . . but the Communists are firm for resistance." A censored Hankow dispatch quoted Kuomintang Central Political Council Chairman Wang Ching-wei as announcing: "In the event that the Communist Party at any time revives the Class Struggle, there will be danger of a break with the Kuomintang!"

Meanwhile, at Canton last week shots fired at the mayor barely missed him, the governor had to announce that he had not been assassinated, mysterious explosions took place, and apparently a Japanese-fostered coup d'etat was nipped, even as Japanese bombers rained Death.

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