MOSCOW VIEW OF CHINA’S COMMUNISM

Grey River Argus, 19 February 1949, Page 5

MOSCOW VIEW OF CHINA’S COMMUNISM

May Be Hostile in U.S. Opinion (Rec. 8.55). NEW YORK, Feb. 17. “There is a logical basis for the belief that Moscow is reluctant to see too great an expansion of the powers of Chinese Communism”, says the New York Times. “There appears to be a latent fear that the Communist leader, Mao Tbeutung, may strike out for himself on the same lines, as Tito in Yugoslavia. Moreover, if Mao Tzeutung’s forces should over-run the last defences of Southern China, they will come into direct contact with the stirring Communist movements of South-East. Asia. This is something, certainly, to be feared by the colonial Powers —by Britain, France and the Netherlands—but there is a suspicion that the Kremlin would not be happy either. At present, South-East Asia’s Communism depends, directly, upon Moscow for ideological guidance, and there are shrewd men in the American State Department who ask: ‘lf Stalin was adamantly opposed to the creation of a semi-indbpendent Balkan Federation, under the leadership of Georgi Dimitrov, the Bulgarian dictator, would he not be horrified at the growth of a huge, unwieldly Asiatic federation that has already demonstrated vital strains of nationalism’? Under the present Communist doctrine, as conceived by Moscow, all and any forms of nationalism are taboo.

“Instead of gaining an area replete with the sinews of power, the Soviet is tending to acquire, in China, a major interest in a morass of misery, where famine is a common occurrence and where Titoism on a massive scale is possible. “The U.S. State Department view—which is the prevailing United States policy—is that the U.S.S.R., even if it establishes truly cozy relations with Mao Tsentung, cannot provide the necessary cadres and assistance for China to face her fundamental problems, and that the Communists will wear themselves out in a slough of misery, just as did Marshal Chiang Kai-shek”.

Communist Link-up-China and French China

BANGKOK. Feb. 17. A state of emergency . would be proclaimed in Siam within the next 2.4 hours against “the growing Communist menace,” Marshal Phibul Songkhram announced to-day. He said he just had received information from Paris that the Vietnam leader, Ho Chi Minh, “had definitely joined hands” with the Chinese Communist leader, Mao Tse Tung, .this and the developments in Burma had increased Siam’s anxiety over “Communist infiltration, insidious propaganda and war of nerves.” The choice before the Siamese people, he said, was bloodshed or peace. He was confident Siam would never go Communist. The Government would ‘take good care” of the small section of discontents. South Africa Being Penetrated by Communism CAPETOWN, Feb. 17. The South African Government will vigorously combat the “dangerous subversion” of Communism in the 'Union following a .report from a departmental commission. The Justice Minister, Mr Swart, told the Assembly that Communism was undermining South Africa’s national life and democratic institutions. Mr Swart said he did not consider it in the public interest to disclose all the findings of the commission on the extent, to which Communism had already penetrated South Africa, but he *was willing to give such details confidentially to General Smuts, or General Smuts’ representative. Mr Swart said neither was he prepared to make public the steps the Government had already taken or intended to take to combat Communism. Mr Swart quoted ten conclusions which had been drawn from the report. One of these conclusions was that a considerable number of principals and teachers in non-European schools were active Communists and there was evidence that night classes were being held to promote Communist doctrines. Two other conclusions were that Communists were making particularly vigorous efforts to incite the native population and that there was reasons to assume that Communist activities were being conducted in certain public and semi-State institutions.