PE
GILMANS
RADIO
for the CAR
for the HOME
GLOUCESTER ARCADE
COMMENT OF THE DAY
The "Famine"
THE Urban Council Sub-
Committees reports
on i
low cost housing tabled ut the Council meeting last week provoke mixed feel- ings. The reports certainly show that the Committee for Rental Ranges fulfilled its commission admirably and tackled with commendable care and thoroughness the i big task of making +1 detalled assessment of the
needa accommodation
of tie lower wage group However this is tempered dis- somewhat by the appointing report of the Committee on housing sites. Of the six sites named In the under
report as
the
S THE WEATHER: Moderate "northerly winds, cloudy.
Fair or
ORIGINAL-ODHNER Calculator➡ Model :107.
CHINA MAIL N
No. 35765
Established· 1835)
MONDAY, MARCH 15, 1954.
SAVAGE INDO-CHINA
Price :20 Cents
Only $550.A.OCE TAI HONGKONG TYPEWRITER EXCHANGE 9 D'Agullar. St
*Tal, 21433.
BATTLE
Vivid Official Story The Pope's Anglo-Chinese
Of
Engagement
Fighting
Hand-To-Hand
Hanoi, Mar. 14.
Fanatic Communist rebels, supported by artillerymen trained in Red China, charged through 1,000 of their own dead and into the outer defences of French-held Dien Bien Phu, the French High Command an- nounced today.
The French High Command announced that the attacking rebels clambered over the shattered mounds of Communist corpses in a night- long, nightmare battle for the strategic French outpost ringed with a maze of barbed wire, slit trenches, foxholes and tanks thrown into the low-cost front lines to halt the Reds.
Bre
coming Committee'sX scrutiny only the Cadogan Street site and about 14 acres of the Kowloon Tong site fat present occupied by
film studio)
im- mediately available for building of housing. need to urgency of the problem. Mr Au in his address to the
A
There is
treas
no the
Malady Named
Vatican City. Mar. 14.
Pope Plus XX is suffer- lng from stegnosis of the pylorus, it was learned to- night.
This is the description of the Pope's malady given In the Inat few days to other high Cardinals and
havo naked
prelates
far
who Rows of his condition. It means contraction of the end of the stomach, which Icads into the small intestine.
It was understood that this contraction WRS titi Pope from preventing the keeping down ALLY but minute quantities or food.
But this direct nourish- a week ago, meal, begun has enabled
doctors greatly to reduce the in- Bien Phu, tank-tipped French
direct feeding which had As The Communists stormed into Dien
maintaloed him for the forces lanced into strong Vietminh forces threatening the Hanoi-Haiphong road
previous two months. the beginnnig of the war's in what French High Command officials said was
1 was understood that fed on "most savage and perhaps last battle".
ho is now being
of necasional teaspoonful extract of grapes
and a maste made of bananas,———— Reuter.
Reinforcements poured throughout the night into the beachhead in Central on the Annam where an assualt force was landed yesterday to ease the pressure Red River della-Indo-China's rice bowl.
Phu
on the Eastern factress early yesterday
noun.
tho
efter-
Ittle Chinese distrlet were left intact.
Annam ashore in Central yesterday, seizing Quinton, an
Vietminh port and French Union troops met with important
units resistance. Rebel After receiving Hittle supply centre.
the 12 inland to rejoin reinforcements overnight and fled
1:day.
commandos Viclminh battalions stationed on carly stabbed inland seeking destruc- Central Annam's high plateaus. tion of 12 Vietminh battalion.
THREEFOLD AIM The French
the
A Command spokesman said
aim as three-
at least one rebel baltallon, or fold, according to a spokesman: 1. Divert Vietminh attention about 800 men, had been killed
Urban Council lust week described the position cor- rectly, when he said Hong- kong was facing a housing
The Dien Bien
ed com- famine. There is not only
Christian de the present huge demand mander, Colonel
radioed the following Castries. for homes for the so-called
of The fanatic "white collar workers" but description
Victinin assault; the demands of a far greater
artillery, Rebel
mainly section of the community
Japoncar int
American supplied by Communist China, including auch people as
modern recoilless Kuns skilled plus technicians And artisans; there is also the laid down a powerful barrage
sector of question of squatter resettlement for more than 100,000 people. It is understand important to too that low-cost housing. rosettlement and building
antellite of
towna also Involve
determined improve the altempi to standard of living of the future occupants, to pro- vide them with homes which conform to Western viandards at as low a cost of rental as possible--KUN
obligation essential present-day colonial authority.
41
uf
ITI probably worthwhile
Scores
Highway
and Haiphong. on hours
enemy
of
a
French
The
The
The
Elderly Man Inherits A
1
Fortune
Bloemfontein, Mar. 14.
A 64-year-clui man, who has
L
Trade Talks Cancelled
BUSINESSMEN ABANDON FLIGHT TO BERLIN
London, Mar. 14.
A mysterious telephone call from Berlin to- day cancelled trade talks between a group of Bri- tish businessmen and Chinese Communist dele-
Four Fatally Electrocuted
died
Perth, Mar. 14.
A man was killed today trying to pull his son, who on an electrified fence, His wife WRS JI- Jured and two other small-
wero lo · killed. For more children were injured,
Boys
A fallen power line at Bridgotowi, About 180 miles from Perth, electri- fled a stream and a nearby fence. The children waded Into the creek, received a strong shook and rushed out screaming straight into the electrified fence. China Mall Special.
Saved Royal Yacht
gates after the Foreign Office had warned the From Being
businessmen that their trade association was con- nected with a Communist front organisation.
Approximately 35 British businessmen, in- cluding 17 members of the "China Trade Com- mittee" who visited Peking last year, were due to fly to Berlin today for trade talks with the Chinese in East Berlin, scheduled to start tomorrow.
But at London's Northolt Airport this morning they were handed sealed messages informing them that the talks had been called off “at the request of the Chinese,”
a
any contracts The messages were delivered pointed out that After telephone call from negotiated by them were subject Holand Berger, chairman of the "China Trade Committee", who arrived in Berlin two days ago to arrange the talks. Berger to- day eluded
and declined to discuss the sudden change of plan.
newsmen
Campard
Rammed
Portsmouth, Mar. 14.* Four Portsmouth boat- men in two small launches saved the £2,100,000 Royal yacht Britannia from being rammed by two drifting paddle steamers in Ports- mouth harbour last week, it was disclosed today.
The 4.000-ton
Britannia
lo cpproval by the Bri.lsh Board moored at a special jetty com- pleting preparations before sail- of Trade.
In London, of the sixing to Tobruk next month to
оле
bing back Quern Elizabeth and traders, John
the Duke of Edinburgh on the of the representative
Common- of their kst stage Electrical Company, Ltd. said
wealth tour. at London Airport: "I honestly Only three members of the don't know the reason for the The paddle steamers, original group
ignored the postponement of the talks. Ner (586 tona) and Sandown sealed message and continued do I know of any Foreign Office tons), both owned by British their journey to Berlin, but all ban...I was not aware of the Hallways, were roped together three stressed tonight that they
tion
announces
negotiate
C
The
cancellation
with Iron
of
Ryde (084
Butcher and Read piloted their launch towards the San- down, put a towing line aboard the and for 10 minutes held the two steamers against a strong
in clashes on both sides of the to Central Annam and possibly 54-mite stretch of Colonial compel the Reds to withdraw immediately French artillery
connecting Hanol some troops from the Red River
the in the past
delta to cope with the French 48 began bombarding the Vietminh artillery positions dug out
a harbour cooling total threat in Annam. This brought
the past
2. Liberate additional terri casualties in
L9 a month in charitable grants were acting independently of postponement of the talks until alongside
I reached London Airport." hilltops surrounding Dien Bien
21 | depot, five days in the delta to well tory from Communist rule and to che cut his smal wage as a the "China, Trade Committee
was
at the air met group Phu's defences,
establish along the coast a solid storeman, has
news received
intended to. and
"After a night of heavy_joles When night rell,
port by Michael, Rivling, who over 1,100, the spokesmen sold.
that he is co-helf to a £4,000 directly with the Chinese in identified himself as an
an "in two of the
James boatmen, The rebels captured the hill native odministrative network.
3. Deprive the rebels of their 008 fortune in Scotland. He is East Berlin. Vietminh companies swung out
"Butcher consultant."
Road, and Reginald from the jungle to a bugle call. overlooking Dien Bien Phu after
dependent business Graaf Pringle of
officials Foreign Office
Lost He said The yelling rebel shock troops
"It is not my place saw them drifting with no one close-quarter fight, richest manpower and rice re-Mr John savage
only servoir qutside the Red RiverReinet, who has
never earned k
Informed week privately locked in savage hand-to-hand
counter-attacks during delta.
to talks on the conference or the on board. more than £30 a month.
number of British, businessmen delegates. It is not my clients' fighting with the outnumbered the night permitted part of the
French command will
Trade Com-wishes that there should be any defenders, who put up a "heroic defenders to break
Ho has
a letter that the "Chica received out from seek to establish contact with
milice" was an offshoot of the and with and destroy the 12 rebel batta- rebel encirclement
stating that
the resistance,
£4,000,000
publicity." British Council for the Promo- After mowing down hundreds
rebels first attacked draw.
whom he
The International lions in the Quinhon area and estate of an uncle,
of
Trade, businessmen's trip climaxed a uf the dark-green-and-black-
the fortress inst Thursday, to capture the many workshops has never met, is to be divided
branded by the British
'sh Foreign cind rebel soldiers, the situation became too critical for the aciling for one hour the nar- turning ou! mines, grenades and equally between him, a relative | Recrotary, Mr Anthony Eden, as week of concern in Britain aver side.
the In Sectland and a church. row airstrip which is Dien Bien other crude weapons for companies, French
who were
Phut
only nk with Hanoi. rebels, French Staff officers said. The news has also been wel- ordered to retreat,
fortress, held by some
French casualties during the comed by Mr Pringle's 103- Shortly before 10 p.m., (locp)
00,000 French paratroops, lightning capture of the port year-old mother who is living in new rebel
waves dung North African. Vietnamese and were limited to a few men South Africa. The family has a ndiding that this is a prob. themselves against the Arsi
by Landmines and record of longevity: Mr Pringio's Foreign Legion units, had been wounded outer fine, which had been re-
by the French seized
lest other contraptions. A few hours grandfather was well over 100 inforced by French tanks Aring
November 20 In
al-after D dncing
wading ashore French when he died. point blank and tearing huge
borne operation. It lies in a troops Joined
"I hope to reach the age of with columns holes in the milling Vielm nh
shallow valley 180 miles west Inching North from recently 110," says Mr Pringle, "so I ronks.
of Hanoi. The French had de- captured Songcau, 18 miles to shall have plenty of time One hour later rebel troops of Ha
enjoy this wonderful and unex- clored many times in recent the South. the second French
months that the Dien Bien Phu
Governor of Centrai pected inheritance. I like travel overran
lot more of ine, the defence
spokesman
basilon was "unconquerable". Vietnam, Phom Van Gao, land- and hope to see arich.
Staff officers said Dien Bien od in Quinhon shortly after the England, and, of course, Scot~ "BAYONET CHARGES Phu. which depends on
the last rebels fled and supervised land."-France-Presse, About 100 French troops who Hanoi delta for its reinforce the establishment of the first survived the carnage and were ments, suppiles and air support, administrative services by scores cncircled by the fanatie rebel coincided with desperate rebel of civil servants transported by: massen cut their way to safety attacks against the vital della the French warships-United with bayonet charg's during supply centres and communica- Press. tons. the night,
French Command said the
HAIPHONG HEARS GUNS rebel command made use of all
In the Hanol-Haiphong_sector available means in the
the thunder of heavy French attack. For the first time in the guns could clearly be heard in eight-year-old war, rebel artil Halphong. Tanks and armoured cars rumbled through the tense 100,000-inhabitant port now for the second week under state of emergency legislation.
new
The
The
COMET TESTS CONTINUE
to
W 19
Was
established
British Special...
Railways China Mail
trading
Curtain a Communist-front organisation.
"When we reached the ships countries. Yesterday Colonel PUZZLED BY ACTION
Frank Norman,
Westminster | they were about 150 yards away British governmen the "I{
that the
Chamber of Commerce chair from the Royal yacht but by the officially
man, was ordered held for trial time we had got towing they China Trade Committec is that
on charges of vidating British were considerably nearer," Mr will lem
Communist-front growt
organisation, n enormously in the years to
then we shall immediately sover export regulations in shipping Butcher said today. come with the natural in-
Further help came from two all connection with it," said R. $599,000 worth of copper to managing director Communist Poland,
other boatmen who put a towing crease in the population at
Sternberg, of Propane Ltd., cnc
He of the
the sixth person
Line on the other side of the present around the 64,000 11
largest chemical manufacturers accused during the week of steamer Rytle. Between them year mark and the distinel
In Britain. But the three being involved in denis violat- they manoruvred the steamere probability that Hongkong
businessmen were puzzled by ing regulations backing up the away from the Britannia will be faced with a slum
the last-minute cancellation of United Nations strategle goods British Railwaya, annnesineed the talks, and were tonight embargo for Communist States. today that an inquiry had been clearance programme In
anxlously waiting for an ex-
which Sir Winston Churchill, said in held into the incident, Rome of the old, heavily-
planation from Mr Borger. the Commons on February 25 had resulted "from exceptionally built-up districts in the not
Meanwhile, a reception for that he favoured П sub-heavy weather prevalling at the too distant future. It is
the businessmen, reported toatantial relaxation" in the UN time!" probable that all this work
have been planned by the embargo, but specifically ex- The work of the men who will become eventually the
Chincac, also was cancelled. copted Communist China "until | saved the Britannia is to be responsibility of the
The "China Trade Committee"
a Korea or wider Far Eastern "specially acknowledged" - by formed by British firms Housing Authority whose
settlement initial
trading with Communist China United Press. functions to devise, Initiate and
A British Oversens Airways in non-strategic goods after control housing schemes
spokesman said here today that their visit to Peking last year. If further routine..
test flights The East Berlin meeting was with money received DA
Atlanta, Georgia, Mar. 15.
be the first full scheduled successfully completed,
to Seven persons were today re- loan from the Government
conferenco with the and to co-ordiunte the
ported killed and some 70 others BOAC Comet services would be rado
Chinese since that visit, although Injured in tornado which resumed on March 23. schemes
mct the several firms have various private
Comet made two Chinese privately, In the mean- A BOAC Union swept over Georgia last night. undertaken by
Thousands of French Housing
forces, including Foreign Legion Latest reports estimated the major test flights on Friday-Ch Societies in the Colony. The
shock com- damage done by the twister at the first since the plones were und Nerth African It was the first mass attack
The Feking visit last.July re- Authority will include
of the Urban against a French fortress since pantes, fanned out at dawn into more than $23,000,000.-France- voluntarily grounded by BOAC
acids and bamboe | Presse.
after a Comet crash of Elba in sulted in trade agreements for the Vietminh assault against the rice
the exchange of £18,000,000 January. Council and presumably, to Nasan in December 1962, which thickets alongside the highway
Casablanca, Mar. 14. Another flight, lasting over worth of British goods for make up Its full comple-cost the Reds 0,000
chasing the rebels. troops,
A terrorist shot and killed a has been cut of The railway
three hours, was made yesterday Chinese exports. Invite Command spokesman said. will it ment,
The three businessmen who Comet-operating normal days after Vict. Maroccan barber In his shop in at United defending the bastion experienced representatives
are hand-picked troops ranked minh commandos blew up large the New Medina quarter of the hotghter 35,000 to 10,000 feet, reached Berila, all complained of those socletics which
as the best the French Army stretches
tračkes of the
on the tests over the lack of official guidance last city, the polico sald today Dotefled reports have already made a start
are now being studied-Reuter. from the British authorities and at present. Colonel de week. The road, too, has been United Press, on low-cost housing, as well
Castries earned fame in 1940 damaged but traffle was resumed as private individuals con- when, with 80 men, he held off last Friday. cerned with building in the Colony. The accent must bo om the utmost Co-
members
are
its
units trained in Communist China used a powerful fire con- centration against the French. An estimated 1,000 rebels were slaire in the furious, nightlong battle.
has
by
plans of private firms which tions, is one omcera.
the
use for
7 LIVES LOST IN TORNADO
a
were
London, Mar. 14.
MAO TSE-TUNG SUFFERING FROM
DIABETES,
REPORT
(By A' Special Correspondent)
People In Red Chinn are just as puzzled as the outside world by the dis- appearance from the public scene for nearly three months of the Peking People's Government's Chairman, Mr Mao Tse-tung..
a German battalion backed up Franco-Vietnamese units all
tanks and Stuka dive
over the delta stayed alert for bombers for three days and was the moment when the Vietminh wounded and captured when
launchies its 70,000 operation between all sec attempting a breakthrough.
command troops insitė the perimeter tions of the community if
After escaping from a German against French forces and com- this venture is to succeed POW camp. he fought in the and it would be wise if, as Italian campaign and was the munications in a general offen-
sive. one of its first investiga- first one to enter Sienna. He
French Command officers sald tions, the Authority made served in Indo-China since the
doubt such en Aomo Asaesament of the war started and, with 20 cita- they had no
of the most de-offensive would come shortly.
A powerful French task force, corated French
All
Travellers from Canton and ternationalist" faction led by the always placed their faith on the are contemplating building through last night's battle, with including an unspecified number
Communist radios; Vice-Chairman, Liu Shao-chỉ, had workers as against the farmers, quarters for their employees shells crashing against his con- of French plus one Vietnamese yesterday
political ascendancy have greater experience * in so that it can gain at once crete bunker, Colonel de Castries battalion, plunged ashore from and newspapers have not men gained
Heersault vessels in Central Annam toned him for weeks, although over the "native" Communist dealing with labour, an overall picture of the directed
operations.
Both in industrialisation and "Axelle his portrait is still being pro- cohost with which Mzo tras been
in modernising the Chinese Red work being undertaken in kept in constant radio contact yesterday. Operation this field. While low-cost with the Honol Northern Head- was described by a Command minently displayed on all public fuenuined.
Apolocamen as the second stage occasions.
This could have come about Army, the country is almost quarters
General Rene housing is a relatively new qua
of Operation "Atlanta" launched They said it was generally through a number of causes, entirely dependent on Bovlet venture in flongkong it has rayod against the French two months ago about 100 miles believed, he was gravely ill, but they said. One was the failure Russia's help. O
south of Quinhon.
that he was still alive. It was of the ngrarian reform pro- The informants laid stress on been in operation in live
Kre two
to three regular
The port, which before the known that he had been rul gramme Farmers everywhere modernisation of the Chinese Singapore since 1947 and divisions, Units withdrawn by
of Indo-China's foring from diabetes, but com- were descrling their land in Communist Army, which they undoubtedly the new General Vo Nguyen Glap, the War was one
plications were believed to 9 have large numbers and flocking to sald was being reorganised: on
the cities they
raid.
the Russian, pattern, and“, was Housing Authority will be rabel commander-in-chief, wire busiest with 20,000 inhabitants,
they
the able to learn many valuable recently replaced by the 308th is a huge mass of ruins. The
on getting a great deal of new and "division,
the heavy equipment from Rumia. 1k lessons from its 'sistor davalon, which returned sow, was destroy on by
to:
Fluiditet?; Its gon, colony. This is anothor
port the view that Mr Map Two burden of responsibility for the These were important reasons Do vas pressure on the Red conflit when th preliminary the Authority abortive invasion of Laos may find useful in prepar River delte Indo-China hay French tight stablan their power but they agroad the the shoulders of bour Indderssive, greater induene? to allow workers. The intere en of the pro kunden internas
which than topallet-the area, thousands of Francis babe there. Only the Catholle overall picture seemed to indus Union commando troops stomme: Cathedrky, Bisnopty, and the dients. Want fist pro-fussion:** Madiona ahead?
ing Healf for the bigger job
of
the re- had found no evidence, to sup" and foutlon "BE: "the"bėginius Forodhan Bunga, had; bøen-şourbed :' from siócess, of Communist plans on whichteould: Grave (ormindaddy: to
of the
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