Show CHINA REDS MENACE 60 AMERICANS Communist Host Threatens Capture of Missionaries at 8 Br Associated May 19 The 19 The safety of oC GO 60 Americans most of them missionaries missionaries mission mission- aries was threatened today at al b by a host of ot Chinese communists Isle IsIs which w was s overrunning northern II province The communists had surrounded a force o of troops west of or orPen Pen pu and threatened to lo cut the railway south of there blocking the arrival of reinforcements reinforcements reinforcements rein rein- to aid the embattled government got gov O troops Reports from rom Americans at said the they doubted the communists would be able to capture the city cily but the apprehension was acute The Chinese government rushed troops to Pen last Monday l at the request of or the American legation Three thousand troops were sent from here and another division from Soo- Soo chow Apparently it t was this force which was reported surrounded by bythe bythe bythe the greatly superior force of com corn PLUNDER WIDE SIDE AREA The communists who have been plundering a wide area in Honan and other provinces in central China caused a general exodus of foreigners and Chinese alike ahke from these territories Most of ot the missionaries already I have left leU northern province I and only one of or them II H. S S. Ferguson I Ila la a Canadian attached to the China in inland inland m- m land mission was captured He was taken at Chen Chen- Cheng 60 GO miles southwest of oC May lay IG 16 I W W. W. W Moore an American member of the same some mission had not been captured captured cap cap- cap I as late as yesterday when he telegraphed from a village near saying the situation was precarious but he was remaining to try to assist Ferguson his CanadIan Canadian Canadian Cana Cana- I dian colleague althou although h he did not know where the latter tatter was being held I I The ability of or the N government government govern govern- ment to protect or to oppose the communists effectively was considered considered con con- doubtful here because of al alleged alleged al- al le ed failure to pay the government I aI-I arm army which was sent against the rebels Nankin soldiers claim that many of ot the men in m the communist army arc are former troops who were were forced to resort to outlawry to obtain I Ia I a living livins I 1 MAY A Y REFUSE TO FIGHT The expectation here was that the I forces would refuse to fight light I and aviators already were reported to have refused to bomb the communists in accordance with or orders orders orders or- or ders from irom the government I IOnly Only personal loyalty to General Chiang Shek Kai-Shek observers said prevented prevented prevented pre pre- vented more troops from joining the reds The financial stringency stringency gency of or the government the greatest it has ever experienced has caused its its armies to go virtually l y unpaid |