Communist Activity in the East

Grey River Argus, 20 September 1948, Page 5

Communist Activity in the East

LONDON, Sept 18.

The Communist-led People’s Army took up arms against the Republican Army and administration in Tapanuli district, West Sumatra, on September 10 and are now in control of the territory. The United States State Department has warned Nationalists in South-East Asia that they were being tricked by their Communist leaders and that by joining the current disturbances in Malaya and elsewhere they were risking “ruthless interference in their internal affairs by international Communist organisations.” , „ Six persons died to-day and five were wounded in continued terrorism throughout Malaya. Two Chinese terrorists were ’ killed. The police lost two Malays killed and two wounded and civilians suffered two Chinese killed and three wounded. The round-up of arms smugglers in the Anambas islands this week is believed to have broken the backbone .of a* colossal international gun-running organisation based in the Philippines with agents throughout South-east Asia and as far as India and the Middle East. The Chinese -.Communists’ longheralded autumn offensive is believed to have begun with this weex’s widespread operations in the Manchurian corridor and Shangtuhg province. , , One hundred and eighty thousand Communists were to-day reported to be attacking Tsinan, the capital of Shangtung. . ~ Violent fighting continues in the Manchurian Corridor, where the Communists have launched an attack against Ihsiem „ , . 'L General MacArthur, at Tokio has brushed off as baseless, the Soviet charges that his policies relating to the responsibilities of Japanese public servants violated the controlling Allied policy, including the Potsdam declaration. , General MacArthur has countercharged the Russians with a basic disregard of human and moral values in retaining for more than three years, 500,000 Japanese prisoners who are employed under shocking conditions of forced servitude in works designed to increase the Soviet war potential. _ . , , Referring to the Communists activiti°s in Japan, he said that they wkie the most unsuccessful made anywhere by world-wide propaganda. “Concepts leading to disorder, discontent, and ultimate chaos, have made little headway, despite frantic Communist efforts to achieve the C °“Japan coffiinSfi to be calm, stable and well ordered. If the Communists had their way, they would repeat in Japan the deplorable state of affairs which they have brought about in certain unhappy European killed three leading Commas, including the party secre tary, M. Stanislav Vitovsffi,, of the Communist purge oi Wing and nationalist elements, in a village near Warsaw. They have also wrecked the party headquarters and co-operative agency.