Communists Reject Chiang's Peace Offer

Chronicle (Levin), 7 January 1949, Page 5

Communists Reject Chiang's Peace Offer

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-Reuter.

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Received Thursday, 7.10 p.m, NANKl^G, Jan. 6. Chinese Communists today begai shelling Government positions aroum Pientsin after having rejected Chian.u Kai-shek's peace offer, says the Asso ciated Press correspondent. Artillerv fire broke the two weeks' lull on Ohina's battlefrohts. Newspapers in Shanghai said the Communist attack near Tientsin seemed to be mounting in intensity. Reuter says a Tientsin garrison spokesman last night disclosed that severe fighting was proceeding at: Huitui, a southeastern suburb of Tientsin Describing the situation as serious, the spokesman declared that all defence arrangements were coiupleted dealing with all possibilities. Conditions at Tangku and Peiping are described as quiet except for niinoi skirmishes. Tke (Jmnese uommnnist radio tonight rejected Generaiissimo Chiang Nai-shek's New Year's ±ive peace oii'ei, and boasted that the Communists were approaching final victory. The Hnited Press reports that tlie radio said the Communists would cum on the revolution to the end. Chiang's peace overture? were designed "to preserve the Chinese re actionaries and American aggressive i'orces in China." Referring to Chiang as " China 's uumber one war criminal, " the radio said his appeal revealed that the lvuomintang was down, but not yet completely out, aud the American iniperialist forces of aggression bodly needtyl a breathing spell. "Only 1,000,000 and several liundred ■ thousaud Kuomintang conibat troops reinaiu to face the people 's liborutiou

army wliich is over 3,000,000 strong The Kuomintang 's American imperial ist masters are irate at their 'stooges' inability to keep on 'stooging' for much longer. The people 's war is approaching tinui victory." Tlie Associated Press corres])ondent, quotes Chinese sources as saving tliai Generaiissimo Ohiang Kai-sliek has ordered the removal of Government records, property aud personnel te Canton, and the Fonnosa Reuter cor respondent reports that about .10,000 Commuuist troops are moviiig soutti from Yungeteng, about 50 miles south west of Ilsuchow to Bulls ien iu preparation for au offensive- against Nanking and Bhangliai.