Forces Asked To Back Lin

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31187, 11 October 1966, Page 17

Forces Asked To Back Lin

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright)

HONG KONG, October 10. China’s armed forces have been urged to throw their weight behind the Defence Minister, Lin Piao, in the current power struggle, Peking Radio reported today.

The appeal, from the Armed Forces chief political commissar, Hsiao Hua, appeared to back up earlier reports in Hong Kong that Lin himself was under attack by China’s militant Red Guard youth movement

It would indicate that shock waves from the current “cultural revolution" have reached to the very top echelons of the Chinese hierarchy. Lin is Mao Tse-tung’s publicly avowed heir-apparent. Hsiao’s statements came in a speech to China’s Air Force political commissars, the broadcast said. “Most Correct Road” “Comrade Lin Piao takes the most correct road, because comrade Lin Piao is the closest comrade-in-arms of Chairman Mao Tse-tung, and is the best pupil of Chairman Mao,” Hsiao was quoted as saying. “He is our best example All Army members must learn from comrade Lin Piao and imitate him.” The Armed Forces, Hsiao said, must take The lead in assuring that the entire country keeps in step with the Mao-Lin team during the current internal struggle. Observers said the speech was an obvious appeal for the

Armed Forces to throw their weight behind Lin in a contest which has seen the fall of many military and political leaders. Hsiao’s rise to power was

roughly parallel to that of Lin.

Reports in Hong Kong yesterday said the 58-year-old Lin had been attacked as “rubbish” by some of the Red Guards.