CHINA: Return to Mukden

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Quietly a cycle closed. Troops of China's National Government marched to Mukden, where, 14 years ago, the Japanese began the rape of Manchuria and the first skirmishes of World War II.

Under capable, confident Lieut. General Tu Li-ming, the Nationalists had covered 210 miles from the Great Wall in less than three weeks and at the cost of a few hundreds casualties. Communist opposition had been almost nonexistent. The chief delay occured at Mukden's outskirts, where General Tu waited for final arrangements to be made with the Russians.

On to Harbin. There was other good news from Manchuria for Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek's Government. The Nationalist Army organ Ho Ping Pao reported that the Russians had granted permission for Chiang's forces to occupy I) Changchun, Manchuria's capital, 2) Harbin, Northern Manchuria's rail hub, and 3) Dairen, Manchuria's most important harbor, where the Russians have trade rights. With these three cities, plus the Mukden arsenal and metropolis, the National Government would hold the keys to Manchuria's transport and industry.