MANCHUKUO FORCES

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24739, 3 December 1945, Page 5

MANCHUKUO FORCES

Soviet To Delay Withdrawal AGREEMENT WITH CHINA , (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) .(Rec. 10 p.m.) CHUNGKING, Dec. 1. The Chinese Government has announced that Russia has agreed to delay the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Manchukuo until January 3 Marshal Chiang Kai-shek's troops thereby will be given an extra month to move in in controlling strength, and Nationalist personnel will take over the administration before the Soviet withdrawal is completed. The Chinese-Russian Treaty of August 14 called for the withdrawal of the Russian troops by December 3, but the Chinese commander, General Sun Shi-nui, is reported to have informed Marshal Malinovsky that the Chinese Government is having great difficulty in transporting its army to, Manchukuo because of the presence in Manchukuo of Chinese anti-Government troops General Sun Shi-hui told Marshal Malinovsky that a difficult problem would be created for the Chinese in Manchukuo if the Russians were evacuated at the time specified in the treaty. The commander of the Chinese Communist armies (General Chu Teh) cemed that the Communist forces were operating widely in Manchukuo. He indicated that no Communists as such were outside the Liaoning liberated area extending from North China into Manchukuo as far as Chinchow General Chu Teh told correspondents visiting Yenan that the Communist Party had never in principle opposed the Central Government sending troops to Manchukuo, but claimed that the reincorporation of Manchukuo under central control should be accomplished by the democratic agreement of the Manchukuo people and hot solely by military occupation. "It will take a lot to convince the north-eastern people that the Kuomintang authorities will not repeat the mistake of being pro-Japanese, antiSoviet and anti-democratic," added General Chu Teh. He gave warning of the danger of civil war in China leading to another world war. General Chu Teh maintained that the Communist forces which for eight years had fought the Japanese had a natural right to disarm the enemy. If the Bth Route Army had been permitted to disarm the Japanese it would have completed the job in 10 days. A Chinese Nationalist report states that Japanese artillerymen under Japanese officers are aiding the Communists in a new attack on Kweisui. On the other hand the Communists assert that the Nationalists have sent more than 1000 Japanese troops with armoured cars to reinforce Kiyun, 35 miles north-east of Peiping. preparatory to attacking the Jehol Province.

RUSSIAN NOTE TO PERSIA

TROOP MOVEMENTS OPPOSED

(Rec. 5.5 p.m.) TEHERAN. Nov. 30. The Soviet Note to Persia refusing to allow Persian troops into Russianoccupied northern Persia says: "If more Persian troops were sent northwards there would be fighting and bloodshed, and more Russian troops would have to be sent there to protect the Soviet occupying forces. As the Soviet Government does not wish to send more troops to Persia it does nqt seem that it is wise for further Persian troops to be sent northward." The Note denies all the Persian allegations about Russian interference in the north. It accuses the Persian Government of supporting officials whose oehaviour, it is alleged, was responsible for disturbances in their administrative areas. CAR WORKERS' STRIKE SOME U.S. FACTORIES TO RESUME UNION ACCEPTS OFFER BY COMPANY (Rec. 9.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, Dec. 1. The president of General Motors Corporation (Mr C. E. Wilson) in a letter to the president of the United Automobile Workers' Union (Mr J. Thomas) has proposed resumption of work in the parts and accessories plants for the benefit* of other motor-car manufacturers. Mr Wilson added that if the union accepted, General Motors would guarantee that the work would be done only for outside manufacturers. Mr Thomas has written to Mr Wilson accepting the offer, which he described as a generous and welcome surprise. He expressed the opinion that General Motors produces only one or two parts essential to other manufacturers, but the union would communicate again when it ascertained the position from them.'

A General Motors spokesman forecast a partial resumption of work in nearly half of the corporation's 70 plants. The Associated Press points out that it had been feared that all motor-car manufacturers except Ford might be forced to shut down for lack of parts from General Motors. Meanwhile management and union representatives met for the first time to-day since the strike started to discuss the management's charge of "illegal picketing." The management contends that the pickets are preventing 80,000 non-union office workers and supervisory employees from entering the plants and thereby erecting major obstacles to a resumption of negotiations over the strike issues. The conference failed to reach an agreement.

MR GANDHI IN BENGAL

CONVERSATIONS WITH GOVERNOR

(Rec. 7.30 p.m.) CALCUTTA, Dec. 1. Mr Gandhi is visiting Bengal for the first time in five years. He received a tremendous ovation when he arrived at a small town near Calcutta, which he is making his headquarters'. Mr Gandhi called on the Governor of Bengal (Mr R, G. Qasey) at Government House. He announced that he was visiting Bengal not to participate in politics, but purely to do whatever he could to relieve distress among famine victims. He was not prepared to submit to any restrictive orders, but would not offer civil disobedience against such an order under the conditions prevailing in Bengal. Mr Gandhi was with Mr Casey for an hour and a half, but the subject of the conversation is not known. I' is learned that the interview, which was the result of a mutual desire to know each other, was planned some time ago. The Congress leaders are meeting in Calcutta on December 6.

DISTURBANCES IN CALCUTTA

DEATH-ROLL OF 33

(Rec. 8 p.m.)' LONDON, December 1. The India Office has issued a statement that 33 persons were killed in the recent disturbances in Calcutta, including one American ambulance driver, 16 police, and 14 British "soldiers. Five American soldiers were sent to hospital while 153 officials sustained minor injuries, and betweeh 150 and 200 members of the public we're" injured. The rioters destroyed 49 Governmfht vehicles and damaged 97. The police opened fire 14 times.