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HONG KONG, FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 1950.
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KMT bombing of Shanghai FAMINE IS SPREADING Armoured troops vs.
Still hope for S'hai evacuation
There is still hope for the mercy-ship General Gordon to carry out the Shanghai' eva- cuation within the next 12 hours.
An offelár of the American
President Lines' [ang Kong office, said last evening' that there is a remote possibility of the General Gordon being ad- vised to turn round for the
Yangtse Estuary,
Meanwhile, It is understood, efforts are still being made to persuade the Communist authori lies to permit passtige of the IST's which were to ferry the CVRCUCCS up and down the
Whangpoo while tho General Gurdon rides ut anchor buts do the Yangtse.
A Tokyo spokesman for the American President Lines said to day the two converted Innding craft at present off Shanghal may ferry 2,000 foreign refugees from Shanghai to Nagasaki, Japan. 1? the Communist authorities permit them to dock, according Press.
tv
United
The General Gordon, which originally was to take on pasen- gers from the two LST's off the mouth of the Yangise River, will arrive in Yokɔbama on Saturday from Hong Kong. It will proceed on to Hawajl if no further word is received from the Communista.
The above pictures were taken during one of the big raids
by Nationalist planes on Shanghai last month. Top photo shows
smoke rising from Nants and the waterfront along the Goo- chow. Crook. The Wing On Company tower can be seen at the extreme right. Bottom picture was taken during the bomb- ing of the Nantac Dund. The roofs of Sassoon House and the
Bank of China Building are on the right.
Chinese Reds' air strength small, Taipeh maintains
Mr. George Dunzey, American The Chinese Communiste connot have more than
President. Lincs manager in Japon,
said: "There are 400 cots and 200 bunks on each LST, und if enough passengers do not mind standing all the 2,000 could be ferried to
Nagasaki. The trip would take 48 The
hours."
-50-planes, including transports, according to the independent vernacular "Wah Kiu Yat Po" quoting semi-official sources at Taipeh. newspaper added that it was officially learn- ed that the Communist air strength for war purposes connot compare with the National- ist Air Force.
Mr. Danzey said the landing were equipped for such an emergency but it still was up to the Communists whether they Would permit the LST's to go up
The same newspaper report- the unmined but narrow channeled that the Nationalists are of the Yangtse River,
planning a large-scale counter- American President Lines of offensive on the Mainland to clals in Yokohama sald this morn-be carried out in the latter Ing there In no indication the part of summer and the early Chinese Communists have with part of autumn. drawn their ban against catry of
munist defences car Sungmer and the unportant town of Hai- men to the North.
*
Five hours later, the landing party, which had been put ashore established foothold on Sung men, which is situated just about 200 miles South of Shanghai.
The attack was joined by Na-
two landing craft into Shanghai Quoting reliable sources, it add-onalist guerillas ashore who had leave
Press
gen-
this
to remove evacuees who want to fed that it is believed that the been waiting for their comrades.
that Nationalist-bombed. Chinese Communists would have
The crow claimed 2,500 Keds Red-held city, adds Assoclated an air force within six months were killed, but there is a bull up with the aid of Soviet erat tendency to consider
Agure excessive.
After 1)
within opposition Sungmen had been crushed, the Nationalist flag was hoisted in s Ceremony which
could become. historie if the Communista loso the war,
LABOUR TO CALL STRATEGY MEET
London, March 23.
ALL OVER CHINA
Millions affected South of Yangtse, Peking s
says
DISEASE EPIDEMIC
San Francisco, March 23.
Poking Radio today reported famine was spreading from East China into Contral and South China, covering almost half of all China including the most densely populated area.
The famine originally centred around a 200,000-square mile orea between the Yangtse and Yellow Rivers near the Eastern coast-the provinces of Shantung, Kiangsu and Honan.
The broadcast, quoting a Communist news agency report from Hankow, said millions more warg boing affected South of the Yangtse 'River encompassing the provinces of Hunan, Kiangs and Kwangtung, reach- ing as far as the South Ching' coast.
Chinese Communist officials, which now are just budding and ↑ from Central and South China farmers lack seed to replant them. recently convened in Hankow One report said: "Ten small for a regional administrative villages in North Anhwel report- meeting and heard a report the total death from famine of that millions were fleeing their000 between the Lunar New Year Day. February 17, and March homes and selling their child- 19. ren, cattle and goods in order to buy food. The conferees criticised regional officials and al- urged greater efforts to leviate suffering, reduce the tax burden and increase the food supply.
Flooded area
The agency report also set the total flooded arcu last year at 17,000,000 atres, reducing, China's total food production between 25 and 33 per cent Achievement of the goal for the current year should increase production by 20
per cent.
The Reds are trying to help stricken farms by trying to drain off new flood waters, raise river
embankments and otherwise nalv-
the spring crops.
agu
A relief mission which wisited
Shanghal said: "North Anhwel farms have frequently been de- vastated in past years but this year's famine and pestilence are
more than nine million persona perished of starvation."
After analysing the food situa- tion in China, the "Time" snit that the Poking Government had laid aside the traditional attitud of
forophle detachment which
characterised Chinese oficialdom
when faced with a "divinely ordained" catastrophic. such as a famine.
"The
Communist authorliler have set up relief committees and have called for an all-out effort to avert the disaster, which now threatens the nation."
unprecedented, Smail pox, dip Relief difficult
canada," th
།
citizens' blockade
Rome, March 23,
An armoured column of troops and police fought their way through a citizens' blockade into the Southern city of San Saverio today after the townspeople rose up, and besieged the focal police garrison and throw a do fence cordon around the city.
The first reports said there were some dead and many Injured.
The Foggia police reported 10 policemen and Cara- binleri had been injured, some erilleally, in a pitched gun battle before four armoured cars crashed the citizens' barricades.
Two hundred men of the regular army's 14th Artil- lery Brigado, six armoured cars and a motorised, columa of Carabinieri and police which included half a dozen trucks and feeps-rushed to San Saverio from Foggia, 20 kilometres away.
San Saverio has 20,000 inhabitants. The police at Foggia said the Bologna-Foggia railroad has been block- ed at San Saverlo and the train duc at Foggia at 0359 today did not get in until 1030-United Press.
Commonwealth conference on Far East planned
London, March 23. Commonwealth countries are discussing plans for a ministorial conference on Southern Pacific and Far East problems at Canberra on May, authoritative quarters hore said today. conference would not be at prime ministerial level ond the foreign secretaries of the Com- monwealth nations would not necessarily take port.
The
Australia
State of alert in
Saigon
A report from uggesting ย Commonwealth Prime Ministers meeting at Canberra next month; was theria, tropical fever, plague and
denied. The Commonwealth other discoses are rampant, espe- cinily at Buhsien and Stehung."
The Times" said that humadre nations are still exchangir.g The Red News Agency. In tarian and roller, work on a large view on the ministerial meet- Hankow dispatch, said the Comeate was difficult today, when the ing projected. tions had been held in check over. munista - felt that famine condi- "doctrinaires of Peking combine
Saigon March 23 with the reactionaries of Taiwan A report from. Australia'sug- Vietnamese police
and the winter but with the coming to cut off China from the nations gesting a Commonwealth Prime French spring had spread throughout six that
troops were today the food and Ministers meeting at Canberra ordered to remain in a "state provinces.
medicine she
next month Was denied. The “Hong Kong
the only Commonwealth nations are still of alert" as a fresh wave of open door. Already a a mission from
Gonerally well-informed sourcer Anhwel Province has arrived in changing views on the minis-terrorism swept over the town.
terlai meeting projected,
said that French troops were be- search of food and medical sup-
ing reinforced at the Vietnamese Its purpose would be to con- tinue discussions of Far Eastern Government's request to protect problems from the point where the town from further attacks by
querillas of Vietminh they were left off at the Com-
chieftain Today, the monwealth foreign ministers con- neighbouring village was found ference in Ceylon in January.
dead in his home with four bul- lets in his body. A customa officer was wounded by gundirn when he refused to put down his revolver when ordered to do so by Vietminh irregulars,
This sounds like a new version A central government directive ordered large-scale work and re- of the old Chinese saying that it lief programmes be undertaken in Is the tail of a famine you hava atricken
areas, including dyke to worry about, not the head. repair, irrigation, replanting and reforestation. At the same time. Remedies '
the broadcast said, all this would entall higher taxes.
correspondetit
Fred Hampson, Associated Press in Hong Kong, says piecemeal reports of China's 1950 fomine continue to trickle out and each one makes the situe tion look darker.
The report said that to ame- rate those conditions, the gov- ernment must reduce rents, stamp out bad elements. confiscate all property-of-public... bodies-and monasterier and take accumulated food stocks.
From Shanghat comes a recen
The London "Times" said in a story of discase epidemic get-leading article that the Chinese ting worse as the famine deepens people face what threatens to be In North Anhwei Province.
one of the worst famines in their history.
What is almost as serious as discase to food-short humana ia a report that disease is now striking down gaunt farm and.. mais. No numbers are given but
they are said to be high.
Another report said new floods
"Detailed Information is hard to come,by under the naw Com. : munlet regime. But official an- nouncements from Poking as well as from provincial capitale
piles, Others missions from Shan- tung and Kiangeu are on the way with the approval of the local Communist authorities.
1193 B
they succeed in their quest other provinces will follow sult but
the stores of food and medicine available in Hong Kong can-do-little-to meet China's needs," the newspaper declared.
In Taipeh, peanwhile, the new Premier, Chen Cheng, streamlined Nationalist China's unwieldly war machine today.
Mr. Percy Spender, Australian Minister of External Affairs, an nounced yesterday in Canberra that representatives of all coun- tries of the British Commonwealth would meet soon in London in a working commliteo to discuss pro- posals for a peace treaty with Japan.
of
Most shops and garages Balgon today were closed.: Viet- minh had called a general strike A cabinet spokesman called the
to protest against the arrest and Premier's moves the beginning of
conviction of people who took a new era in the war against the
part in Sunday's market plac Reds.
He recalled that a decision to riots. All taxi drivers and most Chen abolished six committeestablish this working commitice street hawkers and pedlars join- several commissions and
slated had been taken at the Colombo ed the strike and about half of others for pruning,
conference last January. The date the stall-keepers in the markets of the London meeting. It was and bazaars, learned here, is not yet fixed. The
confirm private reports that the Cumbersome
death roll is likely to approach
are, destroying the spring · cropsi ̈that of the year 1877-8, when
Manufacturers' Union
Russia.
The counter-attack would bu launched before the new Chinese regime is able to put a sizeable air force in the air.
From Hainan Island, General fisuch Yuch, Garrison Comman- Leaders of the Labour Partyder-in-Chief, sent
Prisoners taken during the rad number of have decided to call a secret planes on Wednesday to scatter for that is what it turned out to conference in May to plan their some 500.000 leaflets at various free from extremely low At
the next Genoral points along the mainland coast.
inerale, their captors said. The leaflets tirged the Co-auth
interests of
people
The prisoners were quoted ar
opposes tax raise
The Chinese Manufacturers Union," at its commit- too meeting yesterday, unanimously opposed Government's proposal to "increase taxation to balance its budget for 1950:51. this time when industry is just getting back on its feet, Government should give it help and encouragement instead of saddling it with a further burden, speakers pointed out..
strategy for Election.
The Prime Minister, Mr. Cle-munist troops to turn against their saying that Communist soldiers ment Attlee, Cabinet Ministers commanders in the
were secretly keeping the Nation- and members of the Party themselves
insignia in the hope of being alist and the Executive will attend.--Reuter,
of able to surrender and join forces
onposing the Reds when Chiang voying this view
It was decided that in con- Department of Industry and to Govern-Distribution whose profits from mainland.
The Weather:
At 0640 OKT (3 'p.m, 1KBT) » poder ate Bach-cyclone covers Japan and Man charla. The depression over the Mistern Bela dorpening rapidly and moving ENE. Gradients are alight over the Chine
Chiun.
The fleaflets sald that one ou Koi-shek's armies return to the ment a request should also tetrade' mbnopolles must be very
of every 10 men who attempt to cross the waters to invade Hal- nan would lose thier livos..
Communist authorities have givon; merchants up to the end of the nionth to take up their allocations of Victory Bonds.
More than 10,900 students, and teachers have been mobilised to
And fine loucura. Clix open to be “[Today". Vorecast colaght ~ 125"winds," merchants and shopkeepers to buy probably. 'Ireshening, from... NE later Victory Bonds.
Cloody and mlaty, Warm at first, becomis ir cooler, GAJAH MAD
Story of raid
CRIMES ACT. IN AUSTRALIA
argo,
One wiped out was the Total War Committee, which the former Premier, Yen., Hsi-stian, set up| last December' in Chungking.
All were considered: cumber-
some.
Chen also began weeding out officers holding jobs of small res- ponsibility. He ordered dissolution of the Taiwan and South East China defence communds complet- ed by March 31 They are no longer considered necessary,
At the same time, Generalissimo Chlang Kai-shek. "defined ́duties of the Defence Minister and Chief
་,་. of Staff.
The "Defence Minister
alster was given charge of munitions, uniforms and budgetary maljerk
The Chief of Blah was made working londer of the army, alde to the President and executive
Minister. Chiang
eldeton, Chiang Ching-kuo,, wanamed head of The Deferice-Ministry's, Political Training and Information Do- pártment - Unfled Press, Asta- clated and Reuter
emcer tol Defence
Barclay, on Bridge Page 6
Cinema. World-
Many of them were said to be made that the tax exemption The "Sing Tao Jih Pao" re convinced that an early return limit of $5,000 annual income ported from
Pruning items lik Canton that tho was in the offing.
should, In the case of manu- facturers, be raised to $50,00
There is also room for pruning as an encouragement to Indus down of various items of ex- penditure, a suggested by Mr. ry In the Colony, which⋅ ot-
T. N. Chau in Legislative Coun- ON OTHER PAGES cupies a different position from cll, and Government should first that of ordinary commerce, give careful consideration to the
Paga 2. Canberra, March 23, Crimes Act to Bght labour disor-ment and in Improvements and ings, not yet accounted for, bo- page
- Personalia Manufacturer - have, ht
to invest possibility of such pruning down, Australia today Invoked theavily in their plants and equipe wall as taking stock-of-carrie
Papa 3
Reminders ders and proclaimed a state of extensions, and in many cases fore deciding on measures of serious Industrial disturbance. nearly all carnings and surplus taxation EZEN
The proclamation issued by
•If further taxation is found to the Governor-General said that are put back into industrial: un-
dertakings for their expansion. ba" "necessary then' Governinent The story of the Nationalist the situation was "preventing or Any Pattempt to increase taxa-should look to luxuries, betting -raid," which transformed':
threatening trade and commercouon -the B
with other countries and
Industrialists would be and entertainments for the ro Hainfall: 0 mm-0.18: In Tatal since obscure little town of Sunmen the states of Australia Reuter stunting all further growth inquired extra revenue, instead of
008 1.30 into at least symbolic: Dieppe,
Industrial development and will direct taxation.
Page B szaines no average of 334.3 mam was, meanwhile, told by the crew
ant stop on new enterprises, discusalon on rien, was nut speakers pointed Beggs off by the Chairman, Mr. Shum Readings at 12-
Doubt was pressed by pea" Choy-wh Kcho" said it was › BUL- 1:1034,0) Ed11.7.in.d.
Jest#whathercame had really side the province of the Manu FORM STAV, 258 inches,
rament: tcturers Union Speakers hed Lotta Lax-Loszonan, Andi la parila mugstored rolsthat sa Government cular it was pointed
no should be liked to terminate guarde control, the price would be Pages
the cheaper under from Srede, and
2. Yesterday's. Wewiheran MANGO MAXIumt 17.4 deg. Ib.3
Dr Minimums: 825 deg.: Fahi
Sunshiner 8,3 hours
of the warship, Mel Yi.. which
*among.
BUDGET DAY.
took part inamphibiour opera- tions which led to the town'
London, Maren 23. capture, goourding to Associated. Britain's, Budget Day, to be
leader of
DAGATAN KOT the early hours of March 15, hert Morrison.
Dartho Mai Yi; and Luthier Nationalla, House of Commons,
warahlpa, opened "fire" on "Com--seday---Reut
on
boon made out by
Pétánce
*Economia Dáténes of South
White Paper on keratas. Publishi
Britain Trying Out Now Weapon
Extremely
Finanós «4:9am
Students at colleges and privato
second half of April had been schools continued their "striko. suggested tentatively,
(Continued On: Pace 2)
holiday" begun on Monday, ma'a protest against the arrests Floters:—Heuter.
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