Chungking, June 24.
A declaration that the closing of the Indo-China route constitutes a violation of the Prance-Chinese treaty May to, 1900, as. well ay of inter-notional' Taw, "also a warning' that China would "take. "selt-defence ineastires in the event of an armed jvanion.of thdo-China, is contained {n'a statement issued by' Mr. Wang Ghung-hui, Chinese Foreign Minister "The statement points out that Tndohina is vitally important, not only {o' commerce between China and abroad, but ako for the security of accordance with the Franco Chinese treaty, the statement goes on, France agrees' to. the. transportation through 'Indo-China of all kinds of merehondie,"ineuding arma and ammunition, but during the past year ihe Chinese" Government has' not Used the route for the transit of arms ammunition, out-of consideration {or ihe "possible ditteutty in which 2 felendly motion might become involved.
Expressing the opinion that Japan will Use tude-China as a base to attack China, the Foreign Minister declares: "inthe esse of am armed invasion of Indo-China the Chinese Government, in order to preserve Chine's existence land independence, will be constrained
23 may be deemed necessary to cope take such measures in sel-defence with the situation"™"Reuter, By order of the Chinese National Government, Dr. PZ. King was appointed Suecessor" to Dr. F.C. Chen as Director of the National Health Administration recently, according to a Chungking message the "Chinese American Daily News."
.ed many Chinese are now convinced that their principal purpose is to oust the Kiangsu Provincial troops from the! rural districts, and extend the com-, munist influence to this part of China, Some time since, the provincial troops began resisting the advance of the 8th Route Army.
'At first the Aighting was on a small scale, some skirmishes involving only' 'a few hundred men. The operations have increased in size and intensity. Recently some battles have been fought, reportedly involving a few! thousand men, with heavy casualties: on both sides. Though exact statis tics "are not available, it is safe to. say that during the month of May, more than half of the fighting in this district has been between these two groups of Chinese. At present, the 8th Route troops seem to be gain ing ground. They have taken possession Of considerable sections of country, and are gradually forcing the provincial soldiers to withdraw.
The 6th Route Army in northern Kiangsu today probably includes very
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.