DESIRE FOR PEACE

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 152, 26 December 1945, Page 5

DESIRE FOR PEACE

COMMUNISTS IN CHINA

WASHINGTON, December 24,

While General Marshall has the final decision, the United States has stopped for the present assisting the movement of Nationalist troops Irom South China to North China. Meanwhile, the Chungking Central News Agency reported that the United States 7th Fleet had transported Central Government troops from Haiphong (Indo-China) to Hulutao. The U.S. Slate Department pointed out that General Wcdemeyer is still empowered to authorise, such a movement. The Chungking correspondent of the Associated Press says that three Communist leaders spent an hour with General Marshall, who heard the Communist*case for the first time from the party leaders themselyes. General Chiang Kai-shek has arrived at Chungking from Nanking for the peace parleys. General Chu Teh, Communist com-mander-in-chief, said that as a gesture of the Communist desire for peace. Communist forces besieged in the inner Mongolian cities of Paotow, Kweihwa, and Tatung had been withdrawn, though the military situation, there was favourable.

He added that Communist delegates were fully empowered to deal immediately and directly with the new United States Minister, General Marshall, and as soon as a coalition government was established, the Communists were ready to dissolve their armed forces, except for the 20 divisions agreed upon.

"The American forces in China can achieve internal accord by carrying out President Truman's policy gf restricting their tasks," he said. "If it is true that the State Department has ordered the Americans to cease the transportation of Centi-al Government troops to North China, then it is not too late to avoid full-scale civil war."