Sunday, September 17, 1967

THE SAN DIEGO UNION — Sunday, September 17, 1967 — Page A-2

BUDDHISTS PLAN BID TO TOPPLE THIEU REGIME

SAIGON (UPI)—South Vietnam's militant Buddhists yesterday said they would march in the streets and use "all forms of non-violent struggle" to overthrow the government of President-elect Nguyen Van Thieu.

The warning by a spokesman for militant leader Thich Tri Quang came as Thieu, as he promised in his campaign, began a purge of corrupt military officers from the army, including at least five generals.

There were these other developments:

1. The Information Ministry warned Saigon's 29 newspapers it had noticed "exaggerated news reports" recently and it could result in them being shut down. Censorship, although forbidden by the constitution, was only lifted recently under pressure from the American mission.

NO 'EMERGENCY'

2. The government denied reports that a state of emergency had been declared in the northern city of Da Nang because of increasing anti-government activity by Buddhists.

3. Col. Pham Van Lieu, former national police director accused of illegally campaigning for civilian presidential candidate Phan Khac Suu, was transferred to a new minor post.

Plans for new Buddhist demonstrations were announced at a news conference called by Thich (venerable) Lieu Minh, one of Tri Quang's closest associates.

"The election (Sept. 3) was only a further step in the process of legitimizing the Thieu-Ky clique," said. "As far as we are concerned, there has been no election at all.

"We are going to use all forms of non-violent struggle, including mass demonstrations, to topple the present military dictatorship."

OTHER FACTION

The militant Buddhists are particularly unhappy with Thieu because he recently signed a decree recognizing the more moderate faction led by Thich Tam Chau as the only representatives of South Vietnam's more than 13 million Buddhists or associated splinter groups.

How far the military purge would go, meanwhile, was not known. Thieu had said during the campaign about 50 officers would be drummed out of the army because they used their offices to line their own pockets.

"The first four generals to be 'forcibly retired'" were Maj. Gen. Ton That Xuang, former commandant of the Dalat National Military Academy; Brig. Gen. Pham Dang Lan, former Saigon port director; Maj. Gen. Bui Huu Nhon, commander of the Thu Duc military training center, and Brig. Gen. Nguyen Thanh Sang, formerly in charge of military training.

Also fired was Lt. Col. Tran Dinh Vong, chief of Binh Dinh Province, the most heavily populated in South Vietnam, who was accused of taking bribes in land reform deals.

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RUSSIA TELLS OF CANTON GUN DUELS

MOSCOW (AP) — Supporters and opponents of Mao Tse-tung are fighting heavy battles in the south China city of Canton, with pillboxes being built and artillery dueling, the Soviet news agency Tass said yesterday.

The Tass dispatch carried a Moscow dateline but said information it contained came from the Red Chinese press and radio and foreign correspondents.

At the same time, Radio Moscow claimed the struggle against Mao, the aging Communist party chairman, was intensifying throughout the Chinese mainland.

The broadcast cited as one instance an anti-Mao outburst between late August and early September in the northeastern city of Harbin. There it said the Red Chinese army garrison supported the anti-Maoists with tanks. The radio quoted no source for its information.

Travelers reaching Hong Kong from Red China said fighting had broken out between the opposing factions in Kwangsi Province and that the flow of supplies to North Vietnam had been disrupted. This province borders on North Vietnam.

"Military units of the 40th and 47th Corps have been moved up to the city," Tass said. "Open battles between the Maoists and their opponents are being waged with the use of automatic weapons, grenades and even artillery pieces."

"Warships patrol the river that flows through Canton. The city is actually split into two hostile camps."

Tass said the battle was between the pro-Maoist Red Banner group, about 100,000 strong, and the Red Workers detachments [text continues below fold]

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RED BLOC FLIERS TO AID HANOI, THANT REPORTS

(Continued from Page a-1)

[...] reciprocal action toward peace as the United States has asked. "If Hanoi is asked to do something, take some reciprocal actions as a price for the cessation of bombing, Hanoi will not pay that price," Thant said.

Recognizing pressures in Washington to put the Vietnam issue before the United Nations for settlement, Thant said he is "hopeful that new peace initiatives will be considered very seriously by all members of the United Nations."

In Washington, a State Department source yesterday said volunteer technicians from countries sympathetic to North Vietnam already are there and that this has been known for some time.

The source said North Korean pilots and Chinese engineers are in North Vietnam and that an increase in the numbers of such volunteers "would not exactly be precedent-setting."

He was skeptical of the reports that Soviet and Chinese military missions are meeting in China to discuss greater aid to North Vietnam.

U THANT

... talks to newsmen

[Photo: Small portrait photo of U Thant]

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BRITISH STAGE MILITARY RITES AT CHINA BORDER

HONG KONG (UPI)—British troops staged colorful military rites for the first time along the Communist Chinese border yesterday.

Nepalese gurkhas clad in jungle green uniforms marched to the sound of pipes and drums in the traditional "beating retreat" ceremony.

A military spokesman said the exercise was meant to "show the flag—part of our hearts and minds program" to maintain the loyalty of the colony's 4 million inhabitants despite a Communist campaign to oust the British.

For 30 minutes the 2nd Battalion, 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles marched and countermarched through the streets of Shataukok, a village which straddles the border.

Villagers from both sides of the border came out to watch the parade. The Communist Chinese are allowed to cross freely. The border is marked only by a concrete post in the middle of the main street.

Shataukok is where, on July 8, Communist Chinese troops opened up with machine gun fire and killed five border police.

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Long Dock Delays [headline visible at bottom, text cut off]

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THE SAN DIEGO UNION — Sunday, September 17, 1967 — Section B

World's Largest Warship Arrives

[Photo: Large aerial photograph of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-65) moored at North Island, San Diego. The carrier's hull number "65" is clearly visible on the island superstructure. Crew members line the rails in dress whites. Staff Photo by Joseph Florini.]

The nuclear-powered carrier Enterprise makes her first appearance in San Diego harbor after a trip down the California coast from her home port of Alameda. The "Big E," largest warship in the world, carries a 3,000-man crew, many of whom line the rails in greeting to San Diego. Moored at North Island, Enterprise will operate off Southern California for refresher course. (Story, a-1)