CHINA’S WAR

Evening Star, Issue 25868, 12 August 1946, Page 5

CHINA’S WAR

GROWING MORE WIDESPREAD THREATENS TO ENGULF WHOLE COUNTRY NANKING, August 10. The complete cessation of hostilities throughout China appears impossible, said General George Marshall, the American President’s personal representative in China, and the United States Ambassador, Mr J. L Stewart, in a joint statement after lengthy conferences with Marshal. Chiang Kaishek and the Communist negotiator, General Chou En-lai, A message from Peiping says the truce headquarters announced an “armistice” on China,’s western front. Communist and Government troops in Hupeh, Honan, and Shansi have been ordered immediately to withdraw 10 miles. The truce has ho bearing on Manchuria or the. most recently reported fighting at Kaingsu, north of Nanking. China’s civil war is daiiy growing more widespread, threatening to engulf the country beyond the control of those responsible, The people, in addition to the leaders of both sides, are anxious to end the war, but there are certain issues where agreement has not been found, including the redistribution of troops and the character of the local or county governments to be established in disputed regions pending a basic decision on such matters by the Constitutional Assembly. Fifty armed Chinese ambuslied a coal train on the Peiping-Mukden railway, about three miles north /of Lutai, and detonated charges which- derailed the engine and eight cars, reports the Associated Press. The Chinese opened fire on the caboose immediately after the explosion and four United States Marine guards, riding in the caboose, returned the fire and held off tin' attackers. Two Chinese casualties are reported and 80 men of a rescue patrol picked up the marines. Observers said the attackers were undoubtedly Communists. •