Fighting Ceases In Mukden As Surrender Negotiations Open

Wanganui Chronicle, 2 November 1948, Page 5

Fighting Ceases In Mukden As Surrender Negotiations Open

Nationalist Armies Cut To Pieces By Communists

(N.Z P.A.—Reuter—Copyright.) SHANGHAI, Nov. 1 (Rec. 11 pm).—All fighting has ceased in Mukden and surrender negotiations between the Government and Communist military leaders have begun, according to pro-Govemment reports. Earlier, General Wei Li Huang, Government Commander-in- . Chief, General Tu Yu Ming, deputy-pommander-in-Chief, accompanied by other high-ranking officers and officials, left for North China by special plane.

Reports said all was quiet in Mukden, with Nationalist gendarmes and police maintainingorder pending the completion of negotiations. The population is said to be calmly awaiting the ehange-over without panic or disturbances. The United Press correspondent says the latest reports say the Communists stopped shelling Mukden yesterday morning and moved in. Sporadic lighting continued throughout the night. The highways leading south are choked with fleeing troops and civilians.

It was unofficially reported that the American-trained and equipped First and Sixth Nationalit Armies were cut to pieces in the 100-mile corridor between Mukden and Yinkow, escape port on the Yellow Sea. An eight-point peace programme is being discussed between the Communists and the Nationalist Government, according to Chinese business circles quoted by the United Press correspondent. Reports, completely unconfirmed, say the programme calls for Chiang Kai-Shek to leave China, possibly for the United Stales, and Vice-President Li Tsung Jen to assume the Presidency in a Coalition Government, with the Communist leader, Mao Tze Tung as Vice-Presi-dent.

WASHINGTON, Oct 31 (Recd 8.10 pm).—Communists’ military successes in Manchuria have speeded up the review of United States policy on aid to China. Lieut.-General Albert Wedemeyer, Chief of Army Planning, who is a wartime expert on China, is understood to be conducting a review of military aspects of assistance. A Question that has to be solved is whether any increase in military or economic aid which would have to be voted by the new Congress would be worth while, and whether, in fact, the current military and economic' programmes can be continued in! their present form.

Military circles say frankly they don’t believe United States aid alone can restore the position of Chiang Kai-Shek’s forces. They say that, as has been the case in Greece, outside assistance cannot be a substitute for positive effective action by the internal central aifthority. Reports

that Chiang Kai-Shek is progressively losing authority while the war lords’ system is rising once again creed doubt in Washington tkat such action is possible.

NEW YORK, Nov 1 (Recd 11 pm). —Commenting editorially on the statement by Chiang Kai-Shek that the Communist conquest of Manchuria would mean the virtual beginning of another world catastrophe, the “Nevy York Herald Tribune" says: “His remedy is unfortunately a familiar one. To avoid a third war it is ‘necessary to come to the rescue of Asia’—meaning China’s rescue or, particularly, Chang Kai-Shek’s rescue, and it is the United States which must do the rescuing. It is the old argument which the Generalissimo has used so many times since Japan’s conquest of Manchuria in 1931. It is a persuasive argument, yet it confronts two immovable facts: Firstly, American power and resources are not unlimited: secondly, even if these resources were tenfold what they are now. they still could not save China unless China can somehow develop internal strength and leadership to save herself. Chiang is an able leader, but hopes of American aid are no substitute for policies, principles and leadership which will find a mass response among the Chinese people.”

Bread Rationed To Britons In Shanghai

SHANGHAI, Oct. 29.—The British Residents’ Association, with the approval of the Chinese authorities, has arranged immediate bread rationing for British subjects in view of the increasingly serious food situation. An association annonucement said that from November 2 each Briton will be entitled to one loaf daily.

Meanwhile Shanghai’s 5,000,000 people are spending their spare time [in a frantic foodstuffs, as an (increasing num per of storekeepers, bakeries, rice shops and butchers are (closing daily through a lack of fresh [supplies. | Virtually no foodstuffs have entered the city in the past fortnight, following the supp.iers’ refusal to sell at the official ceiling prices, which are considered to be too low. Shanghai workers are demanding that their employers should provide three meals (daily, additional to the normal wages.