Evening star., 1936-12-14
CH|ANC'S CAPT0R
|SREPORTED HELD
BY OWN SOLDIERS
Marshal Chiang's Troops
Said to Have Turned Red
in Revolving.
COUNTER COUP D'ETAT
RUM0R NOT CONFIRMED
Japan Consults Germany in Chi
nese Crisis-Komintern Accused
of Abduction Link.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND-
Marshal Chang Hsueh-Liang,
leader OF mutinouS Chinese troops
holding Generalissimo Chang Kai-
Shek, is former supreme ,oar lord
OF Mdnchuria, haping taken flight
at time OF ,nuasion by japanese
in 1881. He is son OF late Marshal
Chang TSo-lin, aSSuSSindted in
1929 allegedly ,cith Japadese COM
plicity.
japanese movement OF penetra-
tion into China during last fue
years has evoked demand from
many Chinese quarters for de-
termined stand against further
japanese encroachments, whereas
Kuomintang regime, led by Chang,
has been inclined to play ball Uith
TOXIC leaders. Kidnapping OF
Chang Saturday by Marshal
Chang was ostensibly in further
ance OF demand for ,par on Japan.
~ the Associated Press.
TOXIC, December Is (Tuesday).-
The Domei (Japanese) News Agency
today received a Chinese report from
Peiping to the effect the 105th Division
OF the Northeastern Army, going out
right Communist" had revolted and
Seized its commander, the young Mar
shall" Chang Hsueh-Liang, who last
week imprisoned Generalissimo Chang
Kai-Shek.
CReports from Shanghai said
Chang Hsueh-Liang had been i'm
prisoned by Chang Kai-Shek, after
the generalissimo had effected his
freedom and staged a counter coup
d'etat. The reports were not con-
firmed by Marking government
authorities. and were accepted with
reserve in responsible Chinese
quarters.
The so-called Northeastern army is
the one which young Marshal Chang,
former Governor of Manchuria, COM
mander in his losing battle with jap
anese in what now is Manchukuo. OF
late it has been used as Communist
suppression" force in North China.
Meanwhile, Toxic consulted Ger
many, her Communist ally,
today on reports the Komintern
was behind the amazing seizure Of
Chang Kai-shek amid Chinese pre-
dictions that China's overload may
face firing squad-if he still is alive.
At the same time it was reported
the vanguard of Chinese rescue ex-
pedition pressing toward rebel-heid
Sianfu had clashed with the mutinous
troops of young Marshal Chang.
Eight divisions OF the Chinese Cen
trail army, said Japanese dispatches
from the mainland. were poised to
assault Sianfu, capital of Shensi
Province, which is presumed to be the
place where Chang Kai-shek is held
Germany Consulted Quickly.
Germany, to whom Japan is bound
BY a newly-announced anti-Commu-
mist accord, was consulted quickly by
the Toxic regime.
The press said there was indisput-
able proof the Communist Internation-
al had instigated the seizure OF Gen.
eralissimo Chang and his generals.
Military observers said the coup
d'etat would have been impossible
unless Marshal Chang, hot-headed
former war lord of Manchuria. had
formed an alliance with the Com
munist leaders he was supposed to
have been fighting.
Such an alliance, these observers
declared, opened up Red route from
Moscow to North Central China"
CThe official Soviet press denied
fatty that the Soviet was in any
way involved in the Chang rebel
lion. 1t hinted broadly that Jap
anese provocateurs" and their
'"clumsy work. to further the dis
r,emberment of China were behind
the affair)
The Domei (Japanese) newspaper
agency quoted responsible political OBJ
servers in China as believing execution
by a firing squad, or life imprisonment,
was the most likely order which
Marshal Chang would write for his
captured superior.
(Chiang Is alive, his 20-year-old
son was informed officially in Ber-
lin. The military overlord's son
Chang Wei-ko-is a student at
the University Of Berlin.)
Try to Buy Of Marshal.
Nanking. said Domei. was be-
lieved to be attempting to buy of the
the young marshal. But the Chinese
observers said they doubted whether
the crafty Chang could be persuaded
to free the generalissimo on Markings
terms.
A major engagement was believed
imminent in the neighborhood Of
Tungkwan, on the Hwang Ho River,
where Shansi, Shensi and Honan
provinces meet.
Marshal Chang was said to be
(See CHINA. Page A-3.)