ARMED CLASHES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21989, 5 April 1946, Page 3

ARMED CLASHES

MANCHURIAN CITY CHINESE : COMMUNISTS ENTRY RIGHTS DISPUTE GO a.m.) PEIPING. April 4. Reports of armed clashes at Changchun and Communist advances on it from the south reached Peiping yesterday as Communist and Government factions wrangled at Chungking over the Government's right to send troops into Manchuria.

The Chinese central news agency, in a despatch from Changchun, said the Communist forces were five miles from a railway station post and had occupied Tatun and Mengkintun, v/hjjo National troops advancing onrthwards along the Mukden - Changchun railway clashed with 25.000 Communists, armed with Japanese weapons. Red Army Intervenes

A further report from Changchun stated that the Government Peace Preservation Corns at Changchun arm-v on Tuesday night fought 300 unidentified troops who set fire to the barracks formerly occupied by the Russians. Red Army tanks ranged the city streets as the firing continued, and the Soviet garrison sent out patrol?. Fighting ceased shortly before dawn. The Minister of Information. Mr. K. C. Wu. in Chungking, emphatically denied the Comvhunist allegations that the Central Government was violating the truce agreement by moving troops into Manchuria, He said the truce specificallv provided that .the? Government could move troops in when it was taking over (he administration. The Associated Press correspondent at Mukden said that Russian residents accused the Chinese of killing eight Russians after Soviet forces left Mukden. Four Russians are also stated to have been tortured by Chinese Government troops.