Evening star., 1949-08-17
Chinese Rush Forces
To,.Defend Foochow,
Under Siege by Reds
By the Assoeiotsd Press

BY the Associofeo FfetS
CANTON, Aug. ia Nation
alist spokesman said tonight that
strong naval forces had been sent
up the Min River to the relief of
Communist-besieged Foochow, ma
jor East China port.
The spokesman said the coastal
city still was in Nationalist hands.
Commercial radio contact with
Foochow has been out here for
many hours.
This might indicate that Com
munist troops have occupied the
city, But there has been nothing
here to confirm this. A big battle
for Foochow has been reported
under way. The city is about 450
miles northeast of Canton.
Kwangtung Invasion Denied.
Meanwhile, Nationalist army
spokesman angrily denied Red
troops had driven into Kwangtung
province. Canton, the Nationalist
capital, is also the Kwangtung
provincial capital.
There was no denial, how
ever, of private reports yester-
day that the Nationalists were
withdrawing from Nanhsiung
tNarhyung), 155 miles north
east of Canton and just inside
KWangtungD
The Nationalist Foreign Office
received a request from the United
States Embassy for the safe con-
duct of the liner General Gordon
to remove Americans wishing to
leaye China. The Nationalists
haHe Communist ports, including
Shanghai. under blockade.
A Foreign Office spokesman said
the safe conduct request was un-
der consideration. Previously it
had been indicated the request
would be granted. (The Com
munists in Shanghai have given
the ship permission to call thereD
Consulate Winds Up Work.
The American consulate gen.
eral in Canton is winding up it's
business and expects to be closed
by Friday. The visa and citizen
ship sections already have shut
down.
Official reckoning August g.
showed unofficially that there
were 311 Americans, including 80
women and a. children, in Can
ton. But some of these have left
since that date. Government Off
cials on that date included 49
men, is women and 7 dependents.
American missionaries are
awaiting word from their home
headquarters whether to evacuate
the communist threatened cap
ital. Many who intended to stay
now are undecided since the clos
ing of the consulate has been Or
dered.
Various consulates have notified
their governments of the Ameri-
can action and are waiting word
whether to follow suit. Unless
there is a last-minute change in
plans, the British consulates will
remain here and at Swatow. There
are IA British in the consulate
here and one at Swatow, on the
coast toward Foochow from here.
Chungking Plans Pressed.
The Nationalist Foreign Office
still has given@no clue as to when
it might advise the various en-
bassies and legations here to with
draw. Responsible Chinese sources
said there has been no change in
plans to make Chungking. the
World War II capital, the new seat
of the Nationalist government.
Fully 10000 persons, including
government employees and their
families, have gone to Chungking
from here.
The Nationalist army spokes-
man said there was heavy fighting
near Nankang. 1875 miles northeast
of Canton.
(There was nothing to indi-
cate the fate of Kanshien,
guardian Of the Kan River
valley approach to Canton. This
city, 20 miles northeast of Nam
kang, was cut off from radio
contact yesterday. Possibly the
Reds already have taken it,
Canton was getting ready for
the arrival of the Communists.
Foreigners were packing. Ameri-
can, British and other foreign
firms were evacuating their en-
tire foreign staffs Of woman en-
ployes and families. The United
States Embassy planned to close.