Evening star., 1949-10-17
2Communist Drives
To.knock Out Chinese
NationaIists Predicted
BY the Assoeioted Press

slipped quietly into the widening
orbit of Red China, today, and
Nationalists asked where next?"
Some quarters predicted twin
Communist drives to knock out
the government once and for all
one against Chungking, the new
Nationalist capital; the other
against RUNNING. nearly 400
miles southwest.
The Reds already threatened
several minor Nationalist posi-
tlons along the east coast. Official
reports said the Communists in a
big ampfMbious operation estab-
lished beachhead on the north
ern corner of Annoy Island, about
300 miles northeast of Canton.
About 1900 others landed at
Kulangsu, between Annoy and the
mainland.
(The British steamer Anhui,
carrying 1,400 passengers, was
caught in the crossf1re of an
Annoy artillery duel yesterday.
It returned to Hong Kong with
three Chinese dead and "a
wounded}
American Officials Arrive.
The Government source said
only small number got ashore
at Annoy and were being wiped
out. Similarly. at Kulangsu. 200
were taken prisoner and the re-
mainder "annihilated."
Three American representatives
arrived here today-f1rst foreign
diplomats to reach Chungking
since its re-establishment Satur-
day as the capital. A chartered
plane brought United States
Charge d'Affaires Robert Strong;
Second Secretary Robert Rinden
and Supervisor of Communica-
tions Lawrence Norton. Attaches
of other countries are expected to
follow.
Press dispatches reported that
Gen. Hsueh Yueh, governor of
Cantons Kwangtung Province,
and other high officials of the
provincial government had ar
rived at Hainan Island.
Generals Desertion Reported.
There was no mention of Gen.
Yu Han-mou, nationalist military
commander of Kwangtung. ru-
mored to have gone over to the
conquering Reds.
(Chinese telegraphic advices
in Hong Kong said more than
10000 Communist troops have
entered Canton. Advance units
walked in Saturday. The Ma
tionalists fed.
uife went on almost un-
changed. Buses were run
ming. Shops were open. All
newspapers, excepting the Kuo-
mintang Nationalist Party)
Central Daily News. were pub
fishing. But commodity prices
rose. Rice was selling at $40
Hong Kong per 1873 pounds. A
week ago it was 40.
(The Communist News Agen-
cy said lone Nationalist plane
strafed Canton yesterday, kill
ing and wounding an unde-
termined number of civilians.)
The swift Red advance and cap
ture Of Canton @lesSensds in the
public mind the prospects that
Chungking can hold out if the
Reds invade Szechwan Province.
Reds Control Five Provinces.
The easy Communist conquest
Of Northwest China-where Mos
lem Gen. Ma Hung g-kwei had been
expected to put up a hard fight
enables the Reds to divert as
many men as needed for the
Szechwan job.
The Nationalists now control
five provinces-Szechwan Chung
king, Sikang. Kweichow, Kwang-
81 and Yunnan (Kunming), and
bits of few others-the southern
part of Shensi. for example.
The Nationalists have been re-
duced to three widely separated
centers of resistance: Chungking
With some 175,oO0 troops guarding
the approaches; Kweili, where
Gen. Pals 100000 troops repre-
sent the Nationalists' best force,
and Formosa. Chang Kai-shek's
island fortress
{ The Nationalist Central News
Agency reported that Senator H
Alexander Smith, Republican, OF
New Jersey, flew to Formosa
aboard Gen. MacArthur's personal
plane and exchanged personal
views on the Far Eastern situa-
l.