1949-12-29 — Page 5

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, „1949.

Grave Famine Reported In Red China

DESCRIBED AS "WORST FOR LAST FEW

FEW DECADES"

Communist China is at present in the midst of a very grave famine affecting an estimated 50,000,000 persons; writes Chang Kuo-sing a United Press correspondent who has just arrived in Hongkong after an overland trip from Shanghai.

Heiress To Wed

Que of Britain's wealthiest heiresses, Hon Jean Coals, in to marry Ilon James Bruce, It was recently announced.

Miss Coats, 20. is the only daughter of Lord Glentanar, who inherited £4,000,000 from his father, the Grut baron, and calion king, of Paisley.

Mr Bruce is the second son of the Earl of Elgin

London Express Service

COLOMBO PROBLEMS

(Continued from Page

then economic

some

assistance

necessary

if

como stability these vast and primitive glons.

of

or

The Communist Govern-modities on the Shanghai mar- ment officially admitted on ket in an attempt to halt the December 22 that 9,000,000 runaway price mpiral. (Recent economic reports from Shang- Com- hai indicated that the Chinese were "tarving

munist currency had been in- half starving."

flated between 1,000 and 1,500 percent within the past two months).

which I The announcement. Inter found had not been dis- Iributed abroad, described the for the famine as "he worst

called Inst few decades," It on all local authorities to give priority to relief work.

One of the most important was the organisation

medgures

and of refugees into farming handleraft units for proxiuctive work,

MAO'S CALL

Mao Tse-tung recently called Chinese Communist upon army uulta similarly to form themselves inlo co-operative units, which offered handsome Incentives for boosting the pro- duction of food.

while

Reliable sources estimated that between 30 and 40 percent of Red China's arable land had

by been damaged

droughts, floods, and pestilence during the latter half of this year, undamaged areas yielded only

егор. Reports from rural areas north at the Yangise Iliver said that the most fortunate people there were down to two meals of

congee daily.

half of the normal

Many starving villagers are noriing the urban areas for food. Famine in the rural areas hax cause the complete nulli-

Famine is considered one of the most serious problems the Reds have yet encountered in the consolidation of their poll- which-in tical rule, and one view of their foreign policy-- will have to be solved without outside help.

סת in

SOVIET DEMAND Soviet Russia, to which

the country

Chinese Com- munists scen now, definitely conjoined. JA not only position to help, but has aggravated the situation by re quiring shipments of Chinese food In exchange for Russian machinery under a one-year barter agreement.

The food situation

Man- churin

appears to be slightly better than tu China proper. briter Communist press reports said that Manchurian rice would soon be shipped to North China 10 the famine, al- help alleviate though this does not necessarily indicate a Manchurian surplus. --- United Press,

In

Abducted

neation of the Reds' polley of Greek

dispersing "non-productive"

residents from

overcrowded

Shanghal. The Reds have now abandoned this policy because man seat back to the

every villages returned to the city.

with many more.

UNABLE TO LIVE One of these returnees told me that he was tinoble to remain Itt his village becaUBE nothing to ent; he had to bring

less

he had

Balch that

Children

Queen Frederika's

itar.

Wants To Be British China's Allegation

Against Russia

EXPRESS

On her way to London is Lydia Trachlova (above) Odessa- born soprano who became Crechoslovakia's most famous opera She said recently in Paris that she had renounced her Czech cllizenship, handed in her passport and "hopes passionately for the honour of becoming a British cliisen." In English, one of her seven languages, she said: "I have chosen liberty and am

London going to

The Czech authorities have done their bezt to make me change my mind, but I am saying good-bye to the Communists."-London Express Servibe,·

UN

Attempt To Control World's Trade In Opium

In United Nations

DR TSIANG "PILING UP

DETAILED EVIDENCE”

Lake Success, Dec. 28. Dr T. F. Tsinng. Nationalist China's chief delegate to the United Nations, announced today that he was piling up detailed evidence against the Soviet Union for the United Nations Little Assembly to tackle in | January.

Dr Tsiang is working in his office on the documents he will present to the Little Assembly. The UN has an nounced that the Little As- the sembly will meet for first time in 1950 on Jan- uary 18.

The

will

Chinese question automatically take top rank aa the hottest issue before the de- legates.

The Nationalist

delegation

does not expect anyone to come here from China or Taiwan to add to the present group, in- formed sources sald.

This means that Dr Tsieng, the permanent Nationalist dele- gate here since August 1947, will remain in full control of

The Russians are expected to challenge him at the start, but UN sources predict that the

uphold him. Associated Press.

Council will

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

BRIGADE

HONG KONG DISTRICT" WANTED

Books, papers and magazines. for distribution to Bervice camps in the New Territories. Please communicate with

་

MRS HOLMES-BROWN,

2 Tal Hang Road. MA K. C. WONG, Room 000, Bank of East Asia.

WE WILL ARRANGE TO COLLECT. Additional collecting centres —

Hongkong Cricket Club.. South China Moming Post China Mall Office.

Lower Peak Tramway Office.

NEW YEAR

FESTIVITIES !

HONGKONG HOTEL

NEW YEAR'S EVE-Gala Dinner Dance

till 2 a.m...

the local night against the Soviet PENINSULA HOTEL Union. He has charged the the Russions with breaking

1945 friendship pact with the Nationalists and with helping

the Chinese Reds.

The

Russian nations--the Soviet Union, the

NEW YEAR'S EVE-Special Dinner Dance

bloc of ave REPULSE BAY HOTEL

| Ukraine, White. Russia, Poland and Czechoslovakia-has boy- cotted the

Assembly since Little its formation in

in 1947.

ited the debate They also

boycotted The

on Chinese question in the recent General Assembly and their attitude in thot Dr Trong does not represent Chma.

The Chinese issue may burst out in the Security Couneli at the first meeting in January. Dr Tsiang becomes President of the Council under the ordinary scheme of rotating the post each month by the English alphabe-

Geneva, Dec. 28.-The United Nations Euro-ent order of the members, Moving Appeal pean headquarters predicted today that the back-

Athens, Dec. 28.-Queen back his relatives because they Frederiks made were likewise starving.

appeal to a gathering of re- main opium-producing countries goes into effect. Qualified sources

At a meeting earlier this month în Ankara, a

The Nazis there were about 120,000 food-portera at the Royal Palace on behalf of the and homeless refugees in tonight Shanghai alone, with the au- 28,000 Greck children who, UN committee of experts.representing these coun- thorities unable to help. The she said, had been abducted tries-India, Iran, Turkey and Yugoslavia-took number of beggars has

en by the Greek guerilins and "the first and most important step towards achiev- Into sharply, and they are found in every street and alley parhand were now in countries behind ing international control of the production of raw

opium," a UN announcement said.

bone of the world's illicit opium trade would be

a moving broken if a plan recently adopted by the four He Tricked

In pedestriatis and rickstu w passengers.

station

tent.

lustend

af

bureaus

the Iron Curtain.

The Queen begged the news- papermen

to "rouse the con-

Into Sparing Jews' Lives

Paris, Dec. 28. An elderly Swiss-Jewish businessman who bluffed the Nazis into

These four countries are] would have the exclusive right

scil

to importingt oplum science of the civilised world" responsible for over 90 per-to

only from the to buy opium and suggested that if efforts to cent of the world's legal in-untries and would be obliged persuade the Soviet bloc coun-ternational trade in opium.

| government monopoiles, tries to return the children to According to the Knumance- The proposed convention releasing or sparing the lives Greece talled, they should be ment, the licit trade in this would climax over 100 years of of more than 200.000 Jews sent to Switzerland, Sweden or drux

founded bl1 over- ineffective effort to confine the even Finland, which are not production "in excess of medical world's use of opium to medical retired today as Swiss Direc Monarcho-Fascist."

une

問

ard scientific needs.

The average annual produr- is estimated at being at lean! Ave times the amount re- seienlikte. quared for medical, and other legitimate purposes.

"We have had great patience and hoped that justice would be

conferen ences," the Queen said, done by international

"Unfortunately, nol single child care back.

"We are fed up," she said. Queen Frederika sold she was disappointed at the lack of in- shown by the civilised

of the OW

FIRST STEP

The tor of the American Joint scientific purposes. 47:5 League of Nations drew up the Distribution Committee, it Geneva Convention of 1925 to

but it yielded as announced here today at limit consumption the League its European headquarters. few practical

Mr Ealy Mayer, of St Gall, 67- finally succeeded in formulating

head of Jewish relief new and stronger draft con-year-old

inensures in Switzerland, has re- vention in 1938, but the war in- tervened before it could be im tired and will be succeeded by Mr James Rice, of Cleveland, plemented-United Press.

Ohio, at present en AJDA om- clal in Geneva.

JACOBSON RETURNS TO VIENNA

In

In 1944 when Germany's mill- tary position was desperate, the Nazia tried to ransom Jews thelr concentration camps vehicles and against money, food.

NAZI OFFER

has also caused The famine widespread deterioration of [public safely, with a sharp rise in the number of hold-ups and robberies, When I stopped over at Camon a few days ago, for instance, to Indin, Pakistan ****

the trin arrived after dusk; the and the Middle Eastern coun-

hold was several miles Britain has been

away at the other side of the trion, which

thus t graduniy releasing and

attendants Railway tol towns providing the wherewithal to warned me to remain at the pay for imports Into those areas

overnight forin other

may be travelling through the city after dark because of the prevalence economic of

footpada and highwaymen. assured in Police are Is to be

virtually non-exis-

INFLATION

The first step of the commitive Communist Iraide The importance which White-

was therefore to get agreement hall attached to the conference have up to now succeeded interest

world although, she old was cut vulput

"you among the opium producers lu keeping the cities supplied with

to the necessary is inlicated by the callbre

know how the whole

Lind- level. This was finally obtained. the British delegation. Mr Bevin food, but the effects

Colonel moking himself is

the long famine are begining to treep shocked when

The next, and more difficult journey, though he would pro- into the urban areas, causing bergh's baby was kidnapped."

ended her appeal The Queen

step, was to persuado the reat Flying direct to inflation and other dislocations. fer a

to the newspapermen by saying different producers to agree on The Chinese Communist New Colombo inter will be Mr P. J.

faith of 28,000 Agency admitted

the Noel-Baker, Secretary for Com China Newp

-put the

respective shure of this I beg wealth'

Relations, Sir that famine was the primary children in your hands,

limited production which each the violent price you 13 A mother, not no a country should be permitted Roger Makins, Foreign Office cause of

In October and Queen-because Queens do not

to produce. Governments raak- economie chief, Mr E. M. Den- fluctuations

cousing ning, head of the Far Eastern November, wherein the Govern- tegund ask you for the sake ing concessions feared

Henry ment Sir and

dumped thousands of of these children."-Associated, dissatisfaction among peasant-

(Continued from Page 1) Department,

tom- Second tons of rice and other

PS.

ог producers

down cutting essential revenues from the sale ing Hungarian Jews to the portations of Jews from Hungary of opium. After three weeks country.

to death camps in Germany, as discusalon, however agrсo-

He was asked to write an ex-a guarantee of good falih.

Mayer obtained the Ame Mr Ma planation for each entry in his

rican State Department's appoint-rican agreement would limit personal and official

persuaded the amount of opium produced ment book. He estimates that ment to his meeting with the

he wrote more than 10,000 words Gestapo. in the world to the quantity a day for five days in langhand. Nazis to stop deportations and required for medical and scienti

made the proposal that if they A small divan in the rootn fle purposes and would allot the was Jacobson's only bed. His stopped exterminations he would percentage share of the total hands had to be uncovered, and arrange for relief supplies to be production to which each pro- he had to face into an electric sint through the International ducing country would be ch. light that was always kept Red Cross to keep Jews in Ger- titled, In

the

many alive. His bluff went on Fecommended that the mittee

He was under guard every through 1944 and the Spring of entire legitimate world trade in minute he spent in the prison. 1945. onjuras be brought under

of On

Mr the

INDISCRETION

the strength control

international

Mayer's supposed wealth, the Mr Jacobson was decorated agency, and that strict sanctions by the Hungarian Government Gestapo were persuaded to send from be applied against any country in 1948 in recognition of the 1,073 Hungarian Jews. persistently exceeding its produc- relle activities of the AJDC. Belsen to freedom in Switzer- tion quota without adequate rea-He said he referred to the medal land.

Wilson Smith, now

Secretary at the Treasury. Great tasks lie ahend.

Not

and SIDE GLANCES

only must recovery and hunger

warded off.

abo

India

Pakistan must Bettle

dangerously

their

persistent quar-

rels Burma, not a Dominion,

burt

closely affecting

future, must, somehow form its internal chaus

some

Asia's

trans-

into

semblance of order. Feuco needs to come to Indo- China na it has to Indonesia,

The Colombo conference la dis- only one of many urgent

will cursions which

serve to direct attention to the problem of Asia, a content which is likely to assume particular Im- 'portance in 1950.-Reuter

Radio Hongkong

1.K.T

0.00,Hongkong Calling" - Pro- London Summary: 0.01, #tratame Promenade Orchestra John Me Hugh (Guest Artist): 820, Organ Fecital by Arnold Richardson from St. Marks M Audley Street. (BBCTS): 0.30, In Demi-Heure Francaise. (Studio): 7.00, World News and News Analysis, - (London Relay): 7.16, Sports Raview (Studio); 7.30, Take It from Hore"--With Joy Nichols, Dick Bentley and Jimmy Edwardes(DUCTS);~ 800, From the Eilorials" (London Relay): 0.30'Dancing Time” With the Fuadronaires: 8.40, "At the Opera

by John The Beggar's Opera" Gay With Special, Arrangement by Glynda. Frederick Austin, by "the bourne Opera Company!^ 9.30, City. of Birmingham Cre

10.00, Tadio. Newsrealiz

Relay 10.16, Westher Report 10.16. Book wik by Alleen Dekk (Blydio): 10,30.Thursday, Beren de Pro- gramme of Continuous Musid Ars ranged by, Betty, Drown! 111,00, "Beft Zights and Sweet Muloko 31.10. Weather Report, World and Home. "Hawn from Britain, (Recorded LTA {don®Italay}>@ God “Bave ÷ 204-Kingh:

66PK, 1849 BY MEA BRASSER, MO, YŰBA)

By Galbraithment was finally reached.

"It's kind of teta før, us to alópa-y

“báck hömb for dinner!"

The

of

an

БОЛ

TALKS NEXT YEAR

com-burning.

He

After several ransom

had been offered to

offers

Nazis Jewish

repulsed tho deliver 500 internees from the Belsen camp to Switzerland and to cease de-

Count

Ho

U.S... REFUSAL

agree-

the

several times but was told "that was Inst year.”

The American Government He was told yesterday after refused to consider the ransom by Lieut-Gen. Peter moves, but Mr Mayer persuaded UN's Narcotic Drugs Com- noon mladon will call a conference Cabor, head of the Hungarian the AJDA to lodge $5,000,000 in next year of both producing Political Police, that he was to his name in a restricted ac- With this evidence of and manufacturing countries be released.

He was told he was to draft an interim agreement

"not huge funds in his possession embodying these resolutions, quite an agent" but the Hun-Mr. Mayer met the Gestapo re- This draft will be submitted to varians indicated he had been presentatives in a sentry box on the UN! Economic

Social guilty.. Indiscretion.

dbridge between Switzerland Council for revisions

drove to the Austro and Austria and repeatedly and op- ; proval and it is hoped that a Hungarian border accompanied bluffed the Nazis, flunt draft will be ready for by an

An officer of the State Ha kept on saying that the Police. After E numbers were not enough to signature during the 1950 UN Security General Assembly.

he was crossed the border,

and the Gestapo. picked

could make up by Russian troops warrant the huge payments ho The project proposes that on because his permit to cross the successively freed 3,000 Jewish in Budapest allowed the national level, opium pro-

occupation Hope had children Russian duction be placed in the hunde expired. of government oplum

mono- At the suggestion of the food and clothing to be given

to 7,000 Jows in slave labou poliest

Austrian frontier police he was camps

Vienna and near On the international level, an allowed to spend the night anally c cancelled the deporta- International purchasing and near by while negotiations were tion to the Auschwitz death selling agency would be created, completed In Vienna for his re- camp or 200,000 Jews in the and the government monopolies Jetse. He kildió ha was well Budapest hotto, After the war couldn't make it would be entitled to sell Oplum treated by the Russians Asso Mr Mayor restored the dollars

NORMAL AJDA-Reuter, a Tenty (to-thlangeries The latter clated« Presa:

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