Evening star., 1949-01-27
Chinese Peace Hopes
Dim as NationaIists
Prepare New Defense
BY the Assoeiofsd Press

VI peace Ill CIllIld QlIUIUeQ LOQdy.
Both Nationalists and Commu-
nists accused each other of STALL
ing.
The Nationalists were reported re-
liably to be bolstering a new defense
line below the Yangtze Valley.
The great commercial city of
Shanghai and Marking would be sac
riflced, this source said, so that Ma
tional troops, likely back under
Chang Kai-shek's wing. could
fight on.
Added to the general confusion
were indications of dissension in the
government of Acting President Ii
Tsung-jen. He assertedly wanted to
keep the government here. But the
cabinet, which he may not be able
to control, has ordered it moved
to Canton.
Proof of Sincerity Demanded.
An unnamed government spokes-
man called on the Communists to
show their sincerity by naming peace
negotiatorS. The Communist radio
in turn called on Ii to show his sin
cerity by arresting Chang and other
kuomintang leaders named by the
Reds as war criminals.
The Communists have offered to
talk peace in captured Peiping as
soon as they gain complete con-
troll" of the city. Ii has indicated
a willingness to send a peace dele
cation there. In fact, Liu Chung
hua, Lis special representative, is
there now and repeatedly drafting
plans for negotiations.
Also working in the Peiping back
ground in an attempt at a ma
tional settlement are Prof. Chang
ITung-sun, secretary of the Demo-
cratic League, and Gen. Teng Pao-
shan.
There were separate local peace
moves afoot in Shanghai and Nam
king. In Nanking the City Coun-
Gil was behind the move. In Shang-
hal Chang Chien-hua, a legisla-
tor, proposed a similar move to
commercial and industrial leaders.
Canton Makes Preparations.
Canton made ready to receive the
national government there by Feb
ruary S. Foreign embassies and
legations here awaited instructions
from their governments whether to
follow.
1t was learned reliably that the
United States State Department in
structed Ambassador J. Leighton
Stuart to remain in Nanking, send
ing only small party headed by
Minister Lewis Clark to Canton
with the government.
This policy was expected to have
a decided effect on the majority of
other Western power diplomats.
They obviously were waiting on
their cue from the United States
before determining whether to move
their entire missions to Canton.
Gen. Hsueh Yueh today took over
the goyernorship of Kwangtung
Province, of which Canton is the
capital, He relieved T. v. Soong,
rich brother -in-law of chfang.
Soo1g resigned and reportedly
plans a trip to the United States
from Hong Kong shortly.
Little Fighting Occurs.
Whatever the course of peace
negotiations. there was little fight
Ing anywhere today. One report
said the Communists might shell
the northern section OF Nankingi
soon, but no shells had ianded there.
In the south, behind the new ma
ftfonal defense line stretching from
fHangchoW southwestward to Nam
fchang and thence northwestward
to Wuchang. lay a much larger
portion of China than Chang held
at the end of the war with Japan.
Reports reached Nanking that the
first train evacuating Foreign Office
officials and their families was
stopped at Chinkiang, a short dis
tance from Nanking, by soldiers.
These reports said the soldiers
forced the Foreign Office officials
and their families to leave the train.
The soldiers took over the train for
themselves, leaving the Chinese off,
cials stranded on the platform.
The report caused other Chinese !
officials here to hesitate. All trains |
were running hours late and each |
was vastly overloaded.
Traffic around Nanking stations |
today was paralyzed by the mobs |
jamming the stations and trying to
leave the city.
In Marking. government spokes-
man Gen. Teng Wen-yin contra
dicted reports of new southern
defense line by saying the Nation
alists were fully prepared to resist
any attack on Yangtze River cities"
His statement conflicted with the !
word of other Chinese leaders that
only a token resistance would be
offered along the Yangtze. There
have been obvious moves of govern
ment troops to the south.
Light Artillery Fire Heard.
| The sound of light artillery fire
was audible here this morning but
observers along the river front said
it did not come from the north river
banks
Forces of Red Gen. Chen vi were
deploying along the Yangtze from
an area north of the river opposite
Wuhu to Icheng, IS miles east of
Nanking. Reports reaching here
said approximately two brigades
moving down the railroad toward
Pukow in reconnaissance apparently
halted before contracting Nationalist
troops outside of Pukow
At Icheng, which is the narrowest
point on the Yangtze between Nam
king and Shanghai, Communist
field artillery on the north bank
could control the river, railroad and
highway links between the two
cities
The government authorized seven
delegates from the local peace pro-
motion association to fly to Peiping
to attend peace talks with the Com
munists. The delegates. composed
/ largely of university professors, will
carry no authority to negotiate on
behalf of the government. They ex-
pect to leave within two days.