Kweiyang, Apr. 9.
Chu Teh, one of the "Big Three" of the Communist forees which have been infesting various parts of China for the past eight years, will no Tonger lead his men ino action, plunder the countryside, or help in the administration of so-called Sovie. states. According to Communist, prisoners, Chu was killed in battle three days ago. "His death means the loss by the Reds in Kweichow of their Commander-in-Chief, for it was Chi who led them in their abortive attempt to penetrate to Kweiyang, the Meanwhile, the Communists who had been proceeding eastward, apparently with the object of joining their comrades in Hunan under Ho Lung, have been turned back by an intercepting force of Government erly direction, they reached Fuchang, a village in the Lungli district, about 20 miles east of Kweiyang, but were met there by Central Government and 'Yunnan provincial troops, who proceeded to carry out an' enveloping movement. A small party of Com= mumists escaped towards the south, ut the main body are now hemmed in between Kweiyang and Lungll, Effective Alr Raids A squadron of aeroplanes took advantage of the fine weather to-day to leave its base at Chungking and bomb the Reds, causing losses estimated at 2,000 killed and wounded.
Contrary to despatches received in Canton, the Reds consistently have, been avoiding contact with the Government troops, and the fighting never has reached serious proportions, The report that 2,000 officers and men were wounded near Hsifeng, 50 miles north of here, and brought to Kweiyang is incorrect, as the Government forces have ' sustained very few casualties. Their losses in the assault on Hsifeng were not even 100. It Is also denied that any Communist prisoners were beheaded when the Government forces took Hsifeng.
The strength of the Communists in Kweiyang appears to have been ex. aggerated. Estimates made by the} military authorities here place their umber at no more than 10,000, while the Government forces in the province are stated to total only 30,000.
is also pointed out that the foreign missionaries who evacuated Kweiyang last week did so on their own initiative—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.