Should such a settlement not, be reached speedily, however, there serious threat that the revolt may get out of hand and develop into a large. scale civil war within. the Generalissimo Chiang Kal stated, since the Eighth Route Army. may at any moment decide to fo t0 the assistance of their friends, General Yen Hsi-than's "new" army.
If this should happen, and it General Yen's "old" army' should then find self in dimculties (as is probable in such an eventuality), Central Government troops would, it declared, have to be sent to the ald the "old" army—which would mean open warfare between Central Government troops and. the Communist Eighth Route Army.—Reuter.
Minor Clashes Chungking, Jan. 19.
"Minor clashes" have occurred in Shansi recently, but it Is "absolutely untrue" to state that large-scale fighting hag broken out, -authoritative ifeles informed Reuter here. today. No more than 3,000 at the most were involved in these clashes and any fighting that there was has now cease ed, it is stated.
The true facts of the situation in Shansi are described in an authuritafive statement Issued here, as" follows—"General Yen Hsi-shan last year reerutited some new troops whom he has been giving vigorous training. About 3,000 of them were not used to, severe military discipline.
"They refused to take orders from their commanders on several eccas fons, whereupon General Yen Hsi-shan decided to disband them.
"Several week ago, minor clashes ensued when his order was. being carried out. "However, most of them have been rounded up and the fighting has ceased.
"With several million men at the front and an equal number of men under training at the rear, It 's pont ed out that Isolated cases of Insubor. dination cannot entirely be avoided.
Sensation In Hongkong Hongkong, Jan. 19, Foreign dispatches reporting a large-scale clash between old and new armies under Gen. Yen Hsi-shan southern Shanst onused a sensation Most of the Chinese papers this morning published summaries of the messages and at the same time tried to minimize the effects of the report-Internal hostilities.
The "South China Dally Now: organ of Mr. Wang Ching-wel, pubished an editorial on the subject, while the "National Dally News." organ of the Kuomintang, contained fan article headed, "Appeal to the Nation on the Southern Shansi Japan Planes Busy
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.