Peiping, Oct. 28.
Rollable souxees at Mukden report that at a conference between Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang, head the Three Eastern Provinces, General Wan Pu-lin, Governor of Hiei sungkiang, and General Chang Ts0-) hsiang, Governor of Kirin, the latter! declared that Nanking's negotiations in Berlin regarding' the Chinese Eastern Railway controversy had been a complete failure and, in view of the probability of Russia taking strong measures in Manchuria, advocated that Mukden should com. rence negotiations with Moscow for fa settlement of the dispute, with out reference to Nanking.
It is reported that the conference decided to follow General Chang Tso-hsiang's suggestion—Reuter.
Pi oner's Tale of Ill-treatment Nanking, Oct. 23.
Details of the Russian maltreatment of Chinese prisoners are given ita telegram from General Chang Hisuel-liang to the Ministry of, Foreign Affairs dated October 16. The details, says the Publicity De-! partment of the Nanking Government, are based on a report from a Chinese prisoner who escaped from. the Soviet internment camp and was familiar with conditions.
According to the telegram, Chou Ping-tsao, native of Hulinhsien, boarded a steamer at Jaoho on July 19. His boat was attacked at Kachali by a Russian gunboat and captured. "Six days later those on board were taken to Harbarovsk where they met some 960 Chinese prisoners including several district magistrates and battalion commanders.
On September 4 about 600 prison ers were dispatched to Samchan and there made to do hard labour from morning till night without rest, such Inbour ranging from repairing' rails, planting telegraph poles, loading and unloading trains and vessels to jearrying rye sacks, Their daily ration consisted of five ounces of black bread each Sut without water, Hungry prisoner risked severe whipings just to get a meal out of raw tye they were carrying.
Those half starved and exhausted. Were mercilessly beaten and abused like dumb animals. After work all were locked indoors and even foreed to spend their night in swampy. places.
Chou who reported the details to the Hulinhsien magistrate managed to escape on September 10—Reuter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.