BETRAYAL BY CLIQUES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27212, 15 October 1949, Page 7

BETRAYAL BY CLIQUES

Major Factor In Nationalist Loss Of Canton SPECIAL RESERVES REFUSED United Press-—New Zealand Press Association—Copyright Rec. 11 p.m. , HONGKONG, Oct. 14.A United Press correspondent who arrived in Hongkong to-day from Canton says one thing that can now be told is the betrayal of President Li Tsung-jen by the conservative clique which made abundant promises and broke them as fast as they were made. The most stubborn of the clique’s leaders was General Cheng Chu, overlord of Formosa. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek placed in his hands the Nationalists’ special reserves, hundreds of thousands of trained soldiers and an air force. Even Chiang, when at last he sought to release these resources from Formosa, was, unable to force Cheng to give them up. Another major factor in the Nationalist losses was the refusal of the leaders of various cliques to discard localised patriotism for co-ordinated support of the central Government.

A few hours after a high Nationalist 'official had stated that the Nationalists and the Communists had agreed on a “regional peace” for Canton, telephoned reports from Canton said the Nationalists’ forces had abandoned the city. Plans for all organised resistance had ended, and the entry of the Communist troops was now awaited.

New Zealand Presbyterian missionaries told the Associated Press correspondent in Canton that they had heard heavy gunfire around Kongtseun, 10 miles distant. There was nothing to indicate whether the Nationalists were quitting the city under military pressure or attempting to reach escape corridors ahead of the swift-moving Communist troops. The- Communists are expected to drive into the outer suburbs of Canton at dawn to-day. Reuter reports from Canton state that panic has broken out among the Chinese in Canton’s northern suburbs, but that the remainder of the city is quiet. Looting has occurred in several districts. Those responsible are mainly half-star,ved Nationalist soldiers returning from the battlefronts. General Li Chi-san, Canton garrison commander, left the city in a requisitioned ship late last night. He was accompanied by his personal staff and is believed to be bound for Hainan Island.

The United Press correspondent, who flew out of Canton, said his plane was delayed an hour after if was loaded by Nationalist soldiers and non-paying passengers forcing their way ,on board, only to be dragged off by airport police. , \ The airport was a scene of turmoil and hysterical efforts by some Nationalist soldiers to commandeer the planes for their flight from the provisional capital. Passengers on one or two commercial planes were forced at gunpoint to give up their seats to armed soldiers. Two planes were halted and then came under Nationalist gunfire as the Nationalists tried to prevent their departure.

Communist Advance

Communist forces "are pressing rapidly on Canton to form a giant arc east, north;- and west of the city. It was reported in Hongkong that a group of Communists were assembled there awaiting the capture of Canton and an order to proceed there to assist in establishing the new Administration. , i;

Thousands of Chinese evacuees from Canton continue to stream into Hongkong by air, ship, and train. The colony’s hotel accommodation, which has been taxed to the utmost since the end of the Pacific war, has been strained further by this influx. Th,e Hongkong Government intends to continue despatching trains to Canton on the jointly-owned Sino-British Kowloon-Canton railway so long as the return trains are sent from Canton. ' '

According to despatches from Swatow, on the south-east coast, that city is still in Nationalist, hands, but many people are evacuating. The official Central News Agency said the Com-munist-encircled island city ot Amoy on the Fukien coast, is running short <of food.

The British steamer Wusueh left Canton last night for Hongkong with the largest passenger list of her career A sister ship, the Fatshan, is due from Hongkong to-morrow to evacuate further Europeans and Chinese, but. because of the deteriorating situation will possibly anchor downstream in Pearl River rather than berth alongside the city wharves. Air line operators in Canton were warned late yesterday to remove all aircraft from Canton’s airfield because of the possibility that the field might be blown up. The air field was closed after civil aircraft had been Hying out all day to Hongkong in a constant stream with hundreds of last-minute evacuees.

The Acting President, General Li Tsung-jen, was among the officials who left Canton to-day. He flew to Kweilin, capital of Kwangsi. British, French, Dutch, and Portuguese officials will remain in Canton. Most shops have closed. Merchants have packed up stalls along the waterfront. Foreigners have befin advised to keep off Canton’s streets.