Communist Leader to Meet Envoy of Chinese Government

Grey River Argus, 23 February 1949, Page 5

Communist Leader to Meet Envoy of Chinese Government

(Rec. 11.24). NANKING, Feb. 22. According to reliable reports from Peiking, the Communist leader, Mao Tsetung, has agreed to meet the Chinese Government peace envoy, Shao Litz, for talks. The latter and another member of the Shanghai peace delegation. W Yen, will fly to Shihchingchung to-day to confer with Mao. The question whether the Premier, Dr Sun Fo and the Cabinet will return to Nanking from Canton or the Premier will resign remained unanswered to-night after a day of formal and informal gatherings at Canton, at which President Li Teung-jen and Dr Sun Fo were present. Another appeal for peace was made by the President, when he ..addressed a large gathering of legislators, Government officials and military personnel. Urging support for peace, President Li reminded his listeners that ‘‘those who live by the sword shall perish by the sword.” The President met about 60 members of the Legislative Yuan, but made no direct appeal for them to return to Nanking to attend the forthcoming meeting. NANKING, Feb 20.

A Cabinet reshuffle, ousting the Premier, Dr. Sun Fo, will follow General Li Tsung-jen’s return to Nanking in the next day or two if the President fails to persuade the Premier to return to Nanking, say reliable sources. Following the decision to begin the next Legislative Yuan session in Nanking, the President now has constitutional means as well as political backing, to complete a reshuffle. The President has gone to Canton with a polite ultimatum to Dr. Sun Fo, intending to force a show-down in ’ a political tug-o’-war between Nanking and Canton ,which has been going on since the Cabinet evacuated Nanking. General Ho Ying-chin, who has an influential military following, is regarded as Dr. Sun Fo’s likely successor.