Tientsin Falls; Communists Issue Terms For Peace

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 January 1949, Page 5

Tientsin Falls; Communists Issue Terms For Peace

NANKING, Jan. 15 (Recd. 6.35 pm). —Communist troops this morning entered Tientsin and began systematically to occupy the city without resistance, report Reuter dispatches from Tientsin.

The occupation followed sporadic fighting in various parts of the city throughout the night, during which Red troops steadily closed in from all parts.

Last night the Mayor of Tientsin, General Tuchleh Shih, sent urgent appeals to the Nationalist Government for immediate reinforcements. He reported then that the situation was desperate.

Numerous fires are reported to be raging in the city as a result ot Communist shelling. A direct hit was scored upon an ammunition or gasoline dump. The Communists are reported to have told an American resident that foreigners would be protected. HWAIYUAN IN COMMUNIST HANDS Hwaiyuan, 12 miles north-west of Nanking, fell into Communist hands yesterday, according to eliable but unconfirmed reports. The town is the last outpost of the Nationalist forces on the north bank of the Kwai River, an outer defence screen ter the capital. It had earlier been evacuated by the NationalistsGeneralissimo Chiang Kai-shek is said to be holding vital conferences with Kuomintang leaders on the Communists’ eight point peace terms. A reliable Chinese source close to the Kuomintang peace advocates claimed that the long awaited decision on the. Generalissimo's resignation . and the opening of peace negotiations with the Communists could be expected within a few days.

The eight point peac e terms amounted to little less than unconditional surrender for the Kuomintang according to a consensus of opinion in the capital. Observers considered | that there is no chance that they will i be accepted. General opinion of mem-. ■ bers who control the Yuan was that I the terms are too severe. Thev sate (they were opposed to th e trial of socalled‘war criminals and asserted the (Communists must make some allowance for bargaining. THE TERMS The peace terms were issued yesterday by the Chinese Communist leader, Mao Tsi Tung. They are: (1) The trial of all "war criminals,” headed by Chiang Kai-shek and his wife. (2) Th e cancellation 3f the present constitution. (3) The cancellation of "treacherous” treaties with imperialist nations. (4) The formation of a State Council, to include all Chinese elements except "reactionaries.” (5) The calendar years to be counted from Anno Domini instead of from I th e foundation of the Republic. (6) The elimination of reactionaries from the Government and the army17) The confiscation of "bureaucratic” capital. | (8) Land reforms. Mao called upon Chiang to show sincerity of his desire for peace by accepting the conditions. The British United Press correspondent says that the Chinese Communists who captured Tientsin have set up a new Government. In Peiping the leaders of seven North China provinces again called on Chiang Kaishek to reach a negotiated peace for all China.