Show SOVIET REFUSES TO io JOIN CHINESE SHANGHAI Feb 11 L UP Rella P-Rella blo ble foreign sources said today that Soviet Russia had refu refused Bed a Chinese Chinese Chi Chi- nese plea for large scale assistance In the war against Japan They asserted Sun Fo son of f the late Dr Sun Yat-sen Yat had pleaded plead- plead ed Chinas China's cause causo at Moscow but that Russia turned him down because because because be be- cause of unwillingness to flirt sin sin- g handed gle-handed with the possibility of a Russ Russian Japanese Japanese an-Japanese peso clash through active aid to China This report of Russia's stand came f ns as Chinese fought to keep eight Japanese columns from closIng closing clos- clos Ing In the on central China corridor cor- cor along ons the Lun hai railway which lies between Japanese dom dom- om portions of o north China and the t e Yangtze river valley Japanese Claim Gain Gains i After Cr weeks of bitter fighting Ashling fighting along the frozen marshy marshy- banks anks of the Hwal river southern border of the corridor J JS Japanese anese reported their i three main columns had ad n The Japa Japanese r e columns at Hwal- Hwal y yuan Mn Pe pu and were laid said cam t have ha crossed the stream W under a hail hall of fire and driven Chinese defenders from the northern banks They were reported continuing their march toward the across snow blanketed province battlefields Japanese sent heavy reinforcements reinforcements reinforcements reinforce reinforce- ments for the drive If successful the offensive would open the way for an attack on temporary temporary temporary tempo tempo- Chinese capital inters Fliers Bomb Railways as Canton CantonO reports said Japanese continued to bomb railways about Canton which have been main source of supplies and munitions munitions munitions muni muni- shipped from Hong Kong Once again small Japanese gunboats gunboats gunboats gun gun- boats fired a few salvos at the Bocca Tigris forts protecting Cantons Canton's Cantons Canton's Cantons Canton's Can Can- tons ton's water approaches It was impossible to learn the amount of soviet-manufactured soviet planes and munitions China has received Authoritative foreign observers observers ob ob- ob- ob servers however were were of the opinIon opinion opinion ion that such aid was not as extensive extensive ex ex- x- x as both Chinese and Japanese Japanese Japanese Japa Japa- nese have asserted for different rea rea- sons Informed opinion was that Russia Russia Rus Rus- sia liia was using the conflict as a laboratory for testing planes and equipment and giving a limited number of men a chance t to study under actual war conditions Japanese Japanese Japanese Japa Japa- nese e equipment and tactics in the theair theair theair air and on the ground Shells Prove Pro Duds Dud There were assertions that some foreign manufacturers were s supplying sup sup- p- p plying China China with second class munitions mu mu- ro and obsolete planes Considerable Considerable Considerable Con Con- amounts of Chinese shells have t Burned out to tot be duds and some rifle and machine machine gun gUn ammunition ammunition ammunition am am- discarded by Chinese re retreating retreating retreating re- re treating from was was was' us useless use use- use less HONG KONG Feb 11 it INS Ur INS Martial law was lifted at the huge southern port of Canton Canton- today following following following fol fol- fol- fol lowing execution of Japanese agents accused of fomenting grave I disorders in the city Martial law was clamped down on Canton several weeks ago during a burst of violence in which street fighting was reported to have occurred occurred occurred oc oc- oc- oc while Japanese planes bombed the city from the skies |