REFORMING GENERAL

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 4812, 22 February 1936, Page 6

REFORMING GENERAL

CHINA’S MAN OF CHARACTER. China has apparently produced a great man in General Chiang Kaishek, whose force of character is devoted to the interests of his country (says an exchange). Chiang Kaishek we have heard of for years, but the need of his country has developed his powers and brought him into the limelight. For twenty years China has been in the hands of war lords giving lipservice to a phantom central Government, looting provinces, and fighting with each other. Only a few months ago Chiang Kaishek took hold and reform began to move apace. Now a letter from a hard-headed business man of his province (Szechuen in West China) tells us the kind of thing which is going on. Feudalism has vanished, the former army of the provincial war lord being replaced by a Government Militia which is paid instead of depending on loot. Confidence and Prosperity. A central taxing authority has swept away a multitude of taxing parasites. A junk on the river which used to pay toll on its cargo many times before arriving at its destination now pays a proper tax once. Forced labour is abolished, labourers being paid for their, work; and, because they have money to spend, the whole community has a share in the justice done to them. Good roads are being made on which it is safe to travel at thirty miles an hour.

The total result of all this is a wonderful growth of confidence and prosperity in the province of Szechuen.

It has been suggested that all this is far too good to be true, but the Archdeacon of Szechuen has written to The Times endorsing ail that ha? been said about the new era in the province, quoting letters telling of corrupt officials being dismissed wholesale, opium dens disappearing, and thousands of men at work on roads.

Three years ago Chiang Kaishek and his wife were publicly received into the Christian Church, and many wondered if this was merely a political move, but they have amply proved the sincerity of their convictions.

A regenerated China would open o our distressed areas a market of four hundred million people.