PORTS FOR SOVIET

Grey River Argus, 24 August 1945, Page 5

PORTS FOR SOVIET

In South Manchuria ALSO RAILWAY CONTROL (Rec. 9.50) NEW YORK, Aug. 22 The New York “Times’s” correspondent at Washington says: It nas oeen learned here that an agreement was made by Dr. Soong (Chinese Premier) with the Soviet Government which \ provides that Manchuria, and inner Mongolia are, eventually, to come under Chinese Sovereignty, but it provides also tnat the Russians shall acquire titty per cent, of the control of Chinese eastern railways and of the south Manchuria railways. Under the agreement, Port Arthur is to become a Russian naval and military base. Half of the docks and the commercial facilities at Dairen, another south Manchurian port of importance, probably will oe reserved for Russian use.

In Red Army’s Hands MANCHURIA AND SAKHALIN LONDON, August 22 A Soviet communique stated: The Red Army on Tuesday took 71,U0(J prisoners, including 20 Generals. Russian airborne troops landed at Port Arthur and Dairen, and have begun disarming the Japanese garrisons. The Red Army, south of Kamchatka, landed on Shumush Island, the most northerly island in the Kurile group, where Japanese are laying down arms. Tne Japanese Kwantung army formally surrendered at Harbin to Major-General Shelakhov. Japanese prisoners in Russian hands exceed 250,000. Moscow correspondents stated: Many Japanese troops and officials, with their wives, are fleeing to Harbin in anattempt to save themselves from the fury of Manchurian people. Harbin is a city of jubilation. Red banners hang on all the main buildings. The populace halt trucks filled with Red Army troops and shower them with flowers. Manchurians recruited by the Japanese for the Kwantung army rebelled. The Com-mander-in-Chief of the Japanese forces in Manchuria ,after surrender negotiations at Harbin told a Soviet correspondent that the creation of Manchurian units was the biggest Japanese mistake. Scattered ’remnants of Japanese armies who refused to surrender or are out of touch with group headquarters in ■ Manchuria are harassing the Soviet communications and terrorising Chinese villages. They are the counterpart of the Nazi werewolves, and are called “steppewolves” by the Russians. Specially formed and highly mobilised Soviet forces are engaged in hunting down these formations, who are sometimes disguised as Chinese civilians or put on Russian uniforms. One report says that firing ceased on the Sakhalin front at noon on Monday, when Japanese envoys approached the Russians under a white flag. The Red Army, while the Japanese are carrying out the surrender terms, is advancing to take over the southern part of the island. Civil War in China MOVE TO HALT IT." ALLIES TO OCCUPY KOREA (Rec. 9.10) WASHINGTON, Aug. 23. The “New York Times” Washington correspondent stated: Authoritative circles here state that joint political action by the United States, Britain and Russia to halt the incipient civil war in China, and also a joint British, Russian, Chinese and American occupation of Korea are impending. QUARTER OF A MILLION

RELEASE OF PRISONERS. LONDON, Aug. 22. The War Office announced at a Press conference that it hopes to release up to 60,000 United Kingdom war prisoners and civilians'in the Far East as soon as possible. The number might be anything up to 250,000 of whom one quarter are in the areas north of the Philippines. The remainder are in the southern areas. Only civilians electing to stay in the Far East and those needing special care and treatment would remain for any length of time. All the others would be sent home at the first available opportunity. The American humanitarian team at Mukden quoted the Russians as saying a Liberator is en route to fetch-General Wainwright. A Russian mission reached a prisoners camp and immediately ousted Japanese guards and placed an American, Major General George Parker, who was captured at 'Bataan, in full charge. Reports from the team at Pekin stated that all the internees there had been moved to hotels. A message from Manila reports that the injured American pilot, Captain Dan Shaw, was released by the Japanese in the Philippines with a personal note from Yamashita. Shaw said he parachuted from his burning fighter behind the Japanese lines, was held prisoner for nine days, and threatened with torture if he refused to yield information. But the treatment improved the day after the Emperor’s capitulation was announced. JAPAN’S FUTURE NEW YORK, Aug. 22. The Domei broadcast announced that various political elements, particularly among Parliamentarians, are urging an immediate session of the Diet to formulate emergency measures to meet the new situation as well as a reconstruction programme. It is considered the Diet can display to the world Japan’s good faith. If a special session is held the electoral law will be revised, aftei’ which a general election will be held to carry out completely the new political plan. The Japanese Education Ministry announced that the war-time Education Acts were rescinded and the military training forced on students was abolished. PRESS ADVICE FOR JAPANESE (Rec. 7.3 Q) NEW YORK, Aug. 22 -Tokio newspapers have continued a campaign to smooth the way for the Allied occupation. They have been telling people they could expect that their treatment by the conquerors would reflect exactly on the people’s own actions. The “Yomiuri Hochi” pointed out rnat peace and order were among the chief Allied demands. Accordingly the manner in which that demand was met would determine largely whether Japan would be able to lay down a basis for national reconstruction. The “Nippon Times” in a leading article said: “For Japan’s own good, there must be a speea'v realisation that the old' order is finished. The work of building a new world must be immediately started. Any lingering adherence td obsolete, deficient ideas which have been responsible for Japan’s present plight would only intensify and prolong the disaster. Any attempt to fool ourselves regarding the utter decisiveness of our predicament would' not only be dishonest, and cowardly, but actually would injure the chances of our recovery.