DEMOBILISATION OF CHINESE ARMIES
A TOUGH PROBLEM
By WILLIAM PARROTT
Hankow, Jan. 30.-The problem of returning millions of Chinese soldiers to their native provinces stands out as a task for urgent attention if and when the course of current events brings an end to the civil war.
If this huge task is not tackled immediately fighting ceases, observers believe China will be riddled with crime and violence by soldiers, particu- larly of the Nationalist armies, who may be left to fend for themselves far from their homes and with- out control or money.
Whether the Communista,} Officera and men have unmercl- their apparently superior mill-fully battened on the community.
They have invaded homes tary organisation, could effec-forcat owners to give them tively cope with the problem la lodging. seriously questioned.
and
free
THEFT AND VIOLENCE That the Communiɛts acknowledge They have demanded food, and the problem, at least in part, is talcen it often without payment. apparent from one of their broad-sometimes at a price grossly below cast peace- terms in which theyits worth.
of all demand the reorganisation
armles On
anti-revolutionary
democratic basis.
They have lived on theft Brobbery, and have been gulity
Assault and violence.
Whatever this may mean in other ways, it is considered it could at control Icant enable a transfer of and disciplinary authority-such as these exist in the Nationalist armles.
Chinese statistics are vague and probably no authority knows how many troops There are in the country.
number of men in uniform, if not actually under arius, may range anywhere between 3,000,000 nr 6,000.ono.
The
How many are left on the Na- founlist side is similarly only con jectural but there are certainly many hundreds of thousands.
These troops, observers say, have always been poorly disciplined, and because of their bad behaviour are hated by the civil population,
MEN SCATTERED
and
of
In the cities and towns they have been a law unto themselves.
and
They refuse to pay on public conveyances and in cinemas, have often wreeked premises where their entry has been opposed.
of
In Hankow at this moment owners of 40 public bath houses are not only catering for thousands of soldiers daily without payment, but are being forced by commanding officers to sign receipts at GYIO a head so that the latter may submit accounts to Nanking and receive equivalent expenses.
Chinese and foreign observers say these acts and countless more en be laid at the door of the Nationalist armien
But they do not entirely blame the common soldier, whatever' his sins,
The observers emphasise that the common soldier is forced to fend for himself because of the corruption and Inefficiency of his superiors. What the feeling is between 1. He is an unwilling soldler in the soldier and civilian in Communist first place.
probably having been
areas is not clear but the troops | press-ganged into service. would no doubt present the same
were relaxed. problem f controls.
war
The rivil
scattered fa Chinese troops all over the country. hundreds of miles from their homes. probably There are, for instance,
soldiers from the over 100,000 southern province of Kwangst in the Nationalist Central China arinies.
There are men from Szechuan in the Nationalist urmies
defending Nanking.
گردم
MICROSCOPIC PAY
He may have been forced to march
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, MONDAY, JANUARY 31, 1949.
1,500 Feet Waterspout
A waterspout, which the weather bureau sald was caused by unstable air con- ditions, moves across Santa Monica (Calif.) bay during a storm. Watchers estimat. ed its height at 1,500 feet and said it remained visible for 20 minutes-AP Pic- ture.
GREEK REPLY TO REBELS CRITICISED
30. Athens, Jan.
Radio
ropes or chains to recruiting Athens' reply to guerilla General plats no far away that no ennnot Markos Vafindes' peace pro- possibly escape and find his way posals appeared today to be back to his native village.
Aquabble He may have been bought as a degenerating into a substitute for a rich man's son over the broadcast's interpreta- drawn for the army by lot, agreeing tion and intention.
A
in the bargaia in order to discharge The Friday night broadcast by radio personal or family debt but giving the Government-controlled no loyalty to the army in the pro-made three points in replying to
Maricos.
CLES.
southerners arc Thousands stranded in North China.
The Comunists have brought Manchuria and huge forces from
His superiors ghe only the mini-
North China down to the Yangtsumum aftention to his feeding, ar- the radio, said: Valley.
also contain many Their armles men from southern provinces.
Civilians, on their part, would do Jittle to assist the soldiers back to their Bomes except to get them out of the immediate locality.
the
The civilian attitude to the null tary is primarily based on their hatred of the civil war and austerity it has brought,
considered that it is military certainly the Nationalist if not tie Communists-have corned opprobrium in their own right for
But
the
to
for
"No one
a cease-fire,
NORDIC ALLIANCE
ALLIANCE POCKET CARTOON
TALKS FAIL
Osio, Jan. 30.-Norway, Denmark and Sweden tonight announced that they had failed to agree on a union which would bo free from alliances, A joint communique announcing this said the three countries would maintain and strengthen consultation on foreign policy and that the discussions had been conducted with "understanding and mutual trust.”
It was learned in Oslo tonight; firmed Moscow "reports that Me S. that the Norwegian Parliament A. Afanslov, the Soviet Ambassador would meet in secret session this in Oslo, had called at the Foreign week lo consider the United States' Ministry and had asked for informa
to informal Invitation
the tion on the Norwegian Government's the proposed North Atlantic Pact and a request from attitude to
Atlantle Pact. the Soviet Union for an explanation
Jolu
of Norway's attitude to the puct. The Foreign Ministry denied a Nusain has asked for the expinna press report that troops had been tion because Norway and the 3 vietnent to Norway's northern districts, where Norway and the Soviet Union Union have "common frontiers."
acanfius-
Tha
impotence of being
Ernest
LEE THEATRE
The Norwegian Prime Minister, have a common frontier-Reuter. M. Einer Gerhardsen, mid night that the discussions for the joint delence of Scandinavia falled be- cause the three countries assesseri their security problems differently.
POLITE NOTE
goodwill had "I sincerity and been
we should have enough 'achieved unity today on a Scan-
dinavian defence union," he sold.
The Norwegian Foreign Minister, M. Halvard Lange, said at a press Itussin's tonight that conference note was factual, calm and polite" and would be considered by the and Cabinet Norwegian Parliament before a reply was sent.
He said the Swedish and Donish delegates to the Scandinavian de- fence discussions were not told of the Russian note to Norway. The delegates teamed through the midday
bulletin.
the of
note rudia newa
Asked if Norway expected a new upproach from the Western powers following the breakdown of the pact falks, M. Lange replied: "There is no reason to suppose 50." According to diplomatic
Lources
here, Norway will tell the Soviet Union that she has not yet decided to join. the Atlantic Pack. This will be the gist of her reply to Russia's will be and of yesterday query taken back this week by Norway's Moscow Ambassador, M. Hans Christian Berg
Norwegian It will add that the Government does not yet know the full details of the proposed pact.
JOINT COMMUNIQUE
The joint communique by Sweden,
Denmark Norway and
Scandinavian
ונס
talks, defence
the on-
that existing nounced tonight, suid consultations between the three forelska countries on questions of
will be maintained policy strengthened.
The communique said the
the three
and
dis- nations
cussions among have been conducted n spirit of understanding and mutual trust.
The Norwegian Premier is make a broadcast Inter today on the Earlier today, polillent situation. the Norwegian Foreign Ofee con-
STAR
Phone 58335
17. Hankow Road, Kowloon
------
to
TO-DAY ONLY.---- that At 2.30, 5.10, 7.20 & 9.30 p.m.
To his
demand
a general His pay is miseroscopic, especially atter high ranks have extracted election, the radio sald: their “squeeze.“
has any objection to this."
To his request for
"I is enough for | canmodation and texture.
down fay
their the bandits I'roperty
including urms." owners, foreigners, are constantly at loger-| answered his stipulation
It bends with the mathorities
Americans be the British and cause troops have occupied The Greece with the statement: buildings and compounds without
Sovereign people could solve is simply because permission
they have been assigned no place to live question in elertions,"
Circumstances, observers say, have therefore partly driven the common soldier to the lengths thni have earned him the enmity of the civi- lians.
Out of necessity he has developed the traits and outlook of the tifler and the bandit.
That is why observers believe that, when the war ends, these milliona
leave **The
The Press Ministry, which pre- pared the broadcast statement and issued it to the press, said today that any reports that the statement represented the Coverment reply to Markos
"misinterpreta- tions."
were
PRESS CRITICAL
The Greek press has been sharply
they have treated the civil popula of soldiers must be placed under critical of the statement and the tion shockingly.
strict control and sent back to their way it was issued, and the Populist Party organ described R na. a homes as soon as possible.
"malevolent attempt to undermine
responsible
Urges Peace With Soviet
CREATER FORCES
for the report be Back in their homes they may be Greece" and demanded that those expected to settle down to the revented. docile ways of the Chinese villager, The Conservative newspaper, caring nought about what happens Kathimeride. snid the report was beyond their ken and giving trouble not presented in good faith and to no one.
that Greece had never intended to If they are, not sent home im-discuss the guerilla proposals,
they will menace the The Liberal paper Vina, said the Wigan, Lancashre, Jan. 30-Mr mediately, Konni Zillacus. Labour Member of whole countryside.
new Markos proposal was similar But observers are also pessimistitto previous ones and therefore there Parliament, tonight urged Britain to
the ability of any Chinese could be no question of following Dhoul approach the Soviet Union for n settlement, under the United Nations, administration, Communist or other-it up in any way.-United Press.
to handle of the Middle East and Far East wise,
this problem problems jointly with interested | efficiently and rapidly,
They recall that the American countries like the United States,
He told a Wigan Labour meeting armed services, with all their ex- that Mr Winston Churchill wished perience and facilities, met plenty diMculty Immediately after to lead the world to a "bigger and of bloodier war of intervention against World War II, when they directed the European, Russian and Chinese the return of Chinese armies from G
the south and west to the north and revolutions."
cast.
Much greater forces are now in volved and American assistance will not this time be available.
As long as Labour ruled, Britain would never be committed to such "supreme.folly and abomination," he declared.
The British Government's failure Some observers believe that re- in Palestine was a symptom of a sponsibility for this enormous task world-wide break-up of Anglo-might well be accepted by American policy, he sald.-Neuter, United Nations--Reuter-AAP,
CORKA
© JOURNAL
1007]
EDITORS PAZUR SERVICE.
"I know about women. What I want you to tell me is how to shave."
the
Ships Collide In Fog
..
Wireless Manila, Jan. 31. Globe
signal reported it heard a distress
Manila time today from the stcomer es (Monday) Hsiang Hsing saying it had collided with the steamer Masbato 10 miles
In foggy weather.- off Tungyin Associated Press
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