Communists Keep Firm Grip On China

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28484, 14 January 1958, Page 9

Communists Keep Firm Grip On China

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright)

(Rec. 8 p.m.)

PEKING, January 12.

China’s economic difficulties and last year’s ripples of political unrest have failed to weaken the control which the Communist Government maintains over 650 million people -—a quarter of the world’s population.

Reuter’s special correspondent in Peking, who is now proceeding on home leave after an assignment of two years, says this in an article summing up some of his impressions.

This control, which is maintained by a two-way “grapevine” or channel of information, means that the Central Government’s authority reaches into the living-room and class-room, and is apparent in the fields and on the work bench, he said.

The “grapevine” distributes propaganda from the centre and brings back intelligence from the remotest area.

After two years of reporting the Chinese -scene, this allembracing apparatus of control remains the most enduring and vivid impression of the impact of communism, the correspondent wrote.

Its outward signs were the astonishing discipline, cleanliness and order —unknown in other parts of Asia—which prevail uniformly and effectively throughout the land and which after eight years show little weakening. They are ensured by fear of severe penalties for breaking the law or opposing the Government, and through group training in classes, co-operatives, workshops or the street—groups into which all Chinese are organised. Through these groups individuality of thought and action can be abolished and the Government can spread its policies and decrees to every corner of the land. In return it receives precise intelligence as to what people or groups are thinking.

Visual examples of this authority and organisation could constantly be seen during the assignment, which was marked by no censorship or overt attempt to influence what was written, the correspondent said. r Striking Examples

Among striking examples were the 200,000-strong “spontaneous” demonstration against Britain over Suez, which was organised in a matter of hours, and the obvious results in remote areas of a State Council instruction that more pigs should be raised, the results of which were apparent in every part of the country in an incredibly short time. Improved communications mean that Peking, buttressed as it is by a huge and completely loyal army and police force, can maintain effective and tight authority over its vast territory—one-eighth of the world’s surface.

There is no sign of tendencies towards the fragmentation which has been the curse of previous Chinese governments. The Government may have been embarrassed by anti-Communist outbreaks of “rightists” last year, the disaffection of some minority groups including Tibetans, the illdiscipline and apparent disillusion of many students, the complaints of peasants and the annual curse of natural calamities, but there is no evidence that its strength or self-confidence has been impaired. The absolute control of the Communist Party has remained a constant and never doubted factor during a time of sharp—almost dialectical—contrasts in other matters.

One impression of the past year is that though the physical hold of the Communists has remained strong, the spiritual claims of communism are becoming weaker. There are more signs now that people are beginning to judge the regime by its achievements and are less eager to “volunteer” to cut their rations or to sell more grain to the State. Communist leaders, to counter this, are emphasising “the unity of all patriotic Chinese” and are stepping up the political education of all classes and groups so that the people will have “right thoughts.”

France Uses Night Air Post.— French Post Office planes carry more than 2,500,000 letters a night on five delivery services inside France, the Post Office reported. —Paris (Reuter).