Hankow, Aug. 27.
The need for joint action against Communist-bandits in Central China. }was stressed by General Ho Ying-ching, Minister of War, at the: 'Three-Province Bandit Suppression \Conference which formally opened here to-day. 'The Nationalist Commander in' the course-of a. speech attributed: the growth and spreading jof "Commanist-banditry" in the Yangtze Valley to the work of Michael Borodin, declaring that the seed of the present trouble was sown by the Wuhan Government of 1927, id that even now the Chinese Red forees were still receiving secret support from Moscow.
The Three-Province conference has been called to work out effective measures for removing a growing menace which is threatening the very existence of the Nationalist regime, With the fall of Tsinan, Jand the retreat of the Shansi troops Jon the Tsin-pa front consequent upon their severe defeat at the hands of the Government forees, it is now possible for General Chiang Kai-shek spare some of the Government units and have them employed in the Janti-bandit expedition. The Commander-in-Chief realizes the danger Jof leaving the Communist-bandits alone, and is carrying out his pledge of sending three divisions of troops to Wuhan to assist in. removing the Present menace, According to General Ho the Third Training Division has already arrived and the others re on the way, Thus the Governmene does seem to be making a determined Jeffort to rid Hupeh, Hunan and Kiangsi of the bandit terror. The Conference now held in Hankow will undoubtedly result in the adoption of a large number of resolutions providing concerted action of the three provinces for the extermination of the outlaws.
From reports submitted to the Conference by delegates from Wuchang, Nanchang and Changsha it jean be gathered that the bandit situation in the Yangtze provinces is still very serious although the menace to the principal cities has temporarily been removed.
province practically all dis ith the exception of the few towns surrounding Nanchang, are being infested with Red gangs. Delegates from thie province have revealed that the Reds have organized themselves into the Young Men Vanguards Corps, the Dare-to-Jdie Corps and Red Defence Corps, ete. and are most difficult to suppress they are scattered in all towns jand villages.
The disclosure has teen also made that at present the Communist armies provinces. The strength of each army ing only ats quipped with 500 rifles.
The War Minister believes that the Communist armies possess about 20,000 United Press. rifles altogether—
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.