DIMINISHING STRIFE

Chronicle (Levin), 18 June 1946, Page 5

DIMINISHING STRIFE

CONDITIONS IN MANCHURIA NAXIvIXG, June 15. Diminishing strife in Manchuria and a further relaxation of the Tsingtao tension is reported as Communists announced the signing of a new pact deseribed as a step towards a pennanent Mancliurian cease fire. Comnuinist heg.dijuarters said the pact concerned tlie estaldishmont of a Sino-American truce. Ileadquarters in Changchnn have assigncd field truce teams to varipus nortlieast areas. A Comniunist spokesinan declared there were still many ohstacles hefore a final agre.ement in Manchuria, which was the only area which the new pact concerned. Fighting elsewhere iri ('hina was another inntter on which thev were also „working. 'J'lic Associated Press correspondent as Peijiing rejiorts General Chiang Kaisliek's Mancliurian commander as saying tliat serious clashes in Peijiing have ceiised. General Tu told tlie Changchin Press that the Communists have withdrawn from Lafachan, southeast of iiarbin. A rejiort from Tsingtao says that Ihe. CoTinnunist commander has j given an assurance that the Communists will not attack the eity after receiving a warning tliat Fnited Ktates i\l arines I tliere would figlit if fired on. He dejiipd I lliat tlie ( 'ommunisls ever intended to J attack Tsingtao. They were actiye inst cud against Ihe fqrnier .Tapanese jiujijiet forces around the jiorts 111 soirlh llopei, to prevent more snfferings. l"nited States Mariijes were preparing defencc jiositions 011 the ontskirts .of Ihe kev sii|ijily hase of Tsingtao as Communist troojis showed up twelye miles north.