Not Quite Sure

China's Acting President Li Tsung-jen continued his forlorn efforts to make peace with the Communists. In Peiping, Li's unofficial peace delegation found some signs of Communist cooperation--in matters where the Reds stood to gain by cooperation. Two Nationalist freighters were on the way north loaded with flour for workers in the Communist-ruled Kailan mines. They would return with coal desperately needed in Shanghai.

Li had to make peace not only with the Communists, but with his own Premier, Sun Fo, and the entire Nationalist cabinet, now stubbornly entrenched in Canton. Sun Fo and his faction refuse to go along with Li's policy of peace-at-any-price, want to hold out for better terms from the Reds. Last week, Li made a dramatic gesture. He flew south to Canton to bring Sun Fo back into line. At Canton airport, Li and Sun Fo embraced each other. Said a member of Li's staff: "The mountain has come to Mohamed."

Li made it plain that unless Sun Fo agreed to return to Nanking and support the Acting President's policies, he would oust Sun Fo as Premier. At week's end, Sun Fo had not revealed his decision.

Meanwhile, Communist troops swarmed along the north bank of the Yangtze. But there were no concentrations for a drive across the river. Were the Reds actually honoring their promise not to resume military operations until attempts to make peace had been exhausted? Or were they regrouping for a knockout smash? No one on the bewildered south side of the Yangtze was quite sure.

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