The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-03-05
LOOKING
ABROAD


Gil of the Institute of Pacific Rela-
lions and by Federated Press. Opin-
ions are the author's)
By CHEN HAN-SENG
Editor of Far East Bulletin
Especial Correspondence to
Federated Press
HONGKONG- (FP) - The fate of
China may depend upon the outcome
of a civil war that has begun in the
southern part of Anhwei province
about 300 miles southwest of Shang-
hal In. this area, around the village
of Mowlng, Chinese troops have
turned their guns upon other Chinese
troops renewing the fratricidal con-
| flict that has broken out from time
to time during the past two years.
Those attacked were part of the
New Fourth Army, which includes
both communists and non-communist
elements. About 100000 troops of
this army had moved northward
across the Yangtse river, as ordered
by the national government at Chung
king
Left behind were 1000 troops at
tached to the headquarters of the New
Fourth, and about 5000 members of
the non-fighting establishments-the
political training school, hospitals and
so on, including many women and
children. The commanders of this
body of 10000 negotiated with Gen.
Ku Cho-tung, head of the Third War
Zone, for safe conduct across the
river.
While negotiations were under way,
three divisions of the Ninth Army and
five other divisions-80, 900 troops in
all-began to close in on the 1000
soldiers By January 3 the remnant
of the New Fourth Army was COM
pletely surrounded within an area of
10 square miles.
On January the eight encircling
divisions suddenly swooped down on
the trapped soldiers and their follow
ers. Immediately-and on two sue
ceeding occasions - the commanders
Route Armies sent joint kilograms to
Natl. Military Commission in Chung
king, appealing for cessation of hos
tiliites Chungking replied that the
war zone commander, Gen. Ku Cho- |
tung, had been instructed to let the |
New Fourth proceed northward. But |
at the same time fighting was con-
tinued around Mowling with the great
est ferocity.
In their joint telegram of Jan 10,
the commanders of the Eighth Route
and New Fourth asked the Chinese
public who was disobeying orders and
who was breaking the national soil
darity. They pointed out that while
their troops were holding the Japa-
nese on important battlefronts, they
were attacked from the rear by Chi
nese troops under Chungking's COM
mand.
Madame Sun Yet-sen and other Chi
nese leaders sent similar message
to Generalissimo Chang Kai-Shek
They told him that the real enemy
of the Chinese is the Japanese in
vader But in spite of these appeals,
the fighting continued until January
10, when the 1000 beseiged troops
ran out of ammunition.
Out of 10000 people, more than
A 900 were killed and wounded and
2 900 captured. Commander Yeh [
Ting was seriously wounded; Deputy
Commander Han Ying was slain. Also
killed were many cadets, political
workers, technicians nurses and chill
dren.
The main body of the New Fourth
Army north of the Yangtze, is now
facing humiliation, together with the
fighters of the Eighth Route Army
Nearly 100000 Kuomintang troops are {
ready to launch bitter internecine
war against these two armies.
Since this huge force represents al {
most half of the Kuomintang armies,
It is plain that if the civil war spreads /
here will be no troops adequate to
'esist the Japanese. The Japanese S
would then be able to pull out more i
roops from China for their expansion !
policy the south Pacific. G
While the communist party of t
China demands the restoration of the t
New Fourth Army to its official status I
md a subsidy to the families of those t
killed and wounded, public opinion Il
throughout the nation requires a I
Measure of justice and harmony. Sig e
lificant is the comment of the Brit p
sh-owned South China Morning Post a
Hongkong) of January 81: 1.-THE COM V
nunists have contributed appreciably a
O the discontinue of Japan, and from
I'll accounts they have a better con- n
eption of China's fundamental needs Il
han those leaders in whose minds I
eudal ideals still persist Thou o
ands who follow the red banner seek Il
,nly a decent livelihood Z. Perhaps C
he most persuasive gesture would be il
he parallel enforcement of stricter fl
discipline within the ranks of the "
a
directly to the corporations by b.
.pooo in mario ideals owned bV tn,