China

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28524, 1 March 1958, Page 3

China

Sir. —One gets a little tired of the latest horror stories misguided people bring out in this debate. They could, for instance, mention that most of the people in Hong Kong are Chinese. In Hong Kong, the principal characteristics of the inhabitants are bribery, corruption, “squeeze." gambling, drugs, flies, and prostitution. All this under lent British rule. In Communist” China, all these characteristics have disappeared. You cannot bribe; if you even try to give a tip, the waitress or barber will return it to you with a smile. Extra-marital sex is a criminal offence. Even in once wicked Shanghai prostitutes are as scarce as flies. There is no gambling, little drinking and no drugs. Communist China is a puritan society. In Peking everything shuts down at 10 p.m. Communist China does not pander to physical appetities; nor does it tolerate the lures and wastes of night life.—Yours etc., RALPH S. WHEELER. Timaru, February 28, 1958.

Sir.—“D.H.C.’s” attempt to justify the slaughter, imprisonment and persecution in China because of material progress, convinces me more and more of the bloodthirsty ruthlessness and the complete materialistic and atheistic nature of communism. I can feel nothing but pity for the poor, defenceless Chinese people held captive under such a fiendish doctrine as communism. I agree with “R.D.” that there should be free elections in Spain! but I do not think that the fact that there are no free elections in Spain removes the for free elections in Korea.— A Yours, etc., A.Mi February 28, 1958.

Sir, —Man’s inhumanity to man is intensified in armed conflicts between nations and revolutionary civil wars, with wholesale bloodshed, suffering, destruction and misery. From what I have read it would seem that whatever may be charged against the

Chinese Communists can be matched by atrocities perpetrated by the Chiang Kai-shek regime. “P.J.A.” and others may be able to quote authorities on callous - attitude to the Chinese masses was shown by the Chiang Kai-shek regime in military strategy to impede the Japanese advance Protecting banks at places along the Yellow river wpre deliberately broken* to flood lowlying country without first evacuating the Chinese people there. The huge number of Chinese lives lost through this action is not likely to be known.—Yours, etc., A.H.S.H. February 27, 1958.

Sir, —In answer to Hiram Hunter and his suggestion that I return to live in China, I think that the family is well represented there at present, and that it would be better for me to stay here and try to remote some of the appalling ignorance existing in this country about China. Also some effort should be made here to bring up to a satisfactory level the science of engineering. China has already outstripped us in this field. To “Good Old U.5.A.,” ths answer is “sputnik.”—Yours, eta, P.JAFebruary 27, 1958.