Evening star., 1949-01-11
Marking Admits
Tientsiin' S Loss
Communists
Officials in Capital
Stepping Up Flight as
War Picture Durkens
BY the Associoted Press

NANKING. Jan. 11.-Ofncia,
sources today indicated the
Communists either have occu-
pied the great northern indus
trial city of Tientsin or that
terms have been agreed on fol
its surrender.
These sources conceded tha'
"Tientsin is gone" They refused
however. to furnish details.
The city has been under heav,
attack for several days. Last previou!
reports here said Red troops were
fighting in Tientsin's suburbs.
(The State Department said
today that 80 Americans, not
including military personnel, re-
main in the Tientsin district.
Official personnel and dependents,
excluding military people, in
cluded II men, women and l
child. Americans without official
status there included Is men, Is
women and 81 children.
GA State Department spokes-
man also refused to comment on
reports of Chinese approach
to the United States and other
powers for mediation on concil-
1ation in China's war with the
Communists
More Fleeing Marking.
On the central front Red troops
were reported Systematically mop
ping up the trapped government
armies on the northern approaches
to Marking Government airmen
called it the heaviest fighting we
have seen at any time in China"
With the military picture darken-
ing, government officials stepped UP
their flight from Marking
Little more than a symbol of the
Nationalist government remains in
Marking. Officials, archives and
equipment are flowing out of the
capital at fast pace.
Thousands of officials and en-
ployes have left. Many have moved
south to set up emergency branches
of their ministries out OF reach of
Red Armies Others have fled to
their native homes where they hope
to find obscurity.
Technically, all ministries are still
In Marking. That's because the
great seals with which all official
papers must be stamped are still
here. B>t actually, few govern
ment functions continue, except the
most urgent
One official estimated more than
half the National governments
has disappeared from
Nanking. The Ministry of Health
will move en- mass tomorrow to
Canton in Southern China.
Canton, Formosa Refugees.
Canton and Formosa (Taiwam
are favorite refugees of government
officials. AS many as $4,000 Chinese
a week are reported arriving on
Formoss, which some say General
issimo Chang Kai-shek may turn
into an island fortress.
Equipment and key personnel of
four goveTnment-oWned factories
have been loaded aboard a steam
ship for transfer to Formosa.
Asked what is being done to pre-
vent the wholesale flight of Chinese
officials from the capital, one Off
cial still here explained:
"For awhile strict orders were is
sued to keep all officials at their
posts here. Now most ministries
are anxious for them to leave, par
ticularly if their departures relieve
the government of the necessity Of
supporting them"
Lower Officials Free to Decide.
Hundreds of top-level government
of1cials are leaving the lower eche-
Ions to decide for themselves what
to do. One ministry employe said
II have worked for the govern
ment IS years. During that time !
ran from the japanese from Nam
king to Hankow to Chungking. I
am not going to run anymore. If
whatever power takes over doesn't
want me. I'll go back to my native
home. But I will not become a
political refugee from my own coun-
try"
That sentiment appeared to be
general among middle class govern
ment workers still here.
Peace rumors continued to flow
from every direction. One govern
ment official cautioned, It's no use
talking about peace until we know
what the Communists want. And
they are not saying"
In isolated North China Com
munists had been reported pressing
into Tientsin. Associated Press
correspondent Spencer Moosa re-
ported that telephone reports re-
ceived in Peiping said heavy firing
could be heard throughout he day
in the Eastern and Western suburbs
OF Tientsin.
The government garrison imposed
q 24-hour curfeW. Even the move
ment of persons with passes was
restricted.
A Chinese dispatch said four
members of the Tientsin city
council who intended to appeal to
the Communists to spare the city
had reached Red territory, but have
not been heard from since.