Portrait of a Puppet

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 171, 22 July 1939, Page 2

Portrait of a Puppet

PRO-JAPANESE PREMIER A man ia an unenviable job appears Wang Keh-min, head of the Provisional Government of the Chinese Republic' * (writes a Peking correspondent of the ‘Christian Science Monitor'). While the Japanese, who put him in nominally the highest affice of his forty-year political career, term him “one of the few Chinese patriots," most of his ffllow-countrymen regard him as a traitor. Yet foreigners who know him well whisper that in his heart of hearts he despises tho Japanese as invaders who one day must be driven out, and it is a fact that he limits as far as he can the number with whom he must associate. Just what kind of a man is it that carries on, as it were, on the brink of the deep blue sea?

When I went to see, after waiting a week for an appointment, I found a friendly little fellow bowing me to a seat. Ho wore an anxious smile. "I rise about 6.30 and retire about 11.30, spending most of the hours between at my desk. I have no time for diversions. I used to enjoy reading and calligraphy, but I don't do much of either now. Years ago I played cards, and (with a laugh) was always very fortunate. But I gave up all that at 50. Hobbies? I have collected quite a few Chinese porcelains. They are stored away and I haven’t seen them for years. ’' Other than routine contacts, Mr. Wang sees very few people. This is largely due to fear for his life. In March, 1938, a gang of Chinese sprayed his car with bullets on tho streets of Peking. One bullet wounded his chaufone killed his Japanese companion. but the one meant for Mr. Wang

lodged in the folds- of his fur coat between his arm and body. Since then t!ie Chief Executive has lived as well as worked in the big foreign Affairs building, whilo 50 guards, many armed with sub-machine-guns, stand watch.

"Members of my family come to see me now and then from my home two blocks away. I have 11 daughters and a son, enough to start a school.) But of my friends, many have gone south. The few remaining in Peking do not call on me because they would incure the suspicions of tho guards. As for formal affairs, I go out to no dinners and give no dinners. I really enjoy the lack of incessant social affairs. Lonely? Yes; but I am so busy that I do not notice it."

Yet "His Excellency," as the punctilious translator referred to Mr. Wang, does not appear discontented. If he ia virtually a prisoner, Chinese statesmen often have been known to go into seclusion. He indicated that he harbours no anticipations of resigning, and wants to remain right here in Peking. If he wanted to live anywhero else, ho certainly would have the funds to do d, for ho is one of the wealthiest men in China. But Prance, tho ono foreign country in which ho has resided except Japan, he found "too busy."

Bo Mr. Wang stays on, a patriot or a traitor, depending on the point of view. Is there a chance he will fool both Chinese and Japanese? Some acquainted with the workings of the Chinese mind do not think it impossible. The idea is this:

Chinese characteristically yield to force and wait for it to spend itself rather than trying to resist it. They have learned now from centuries of experience with invasion, and, moro recently, colonisation. Now Japan comes with another kind of pressure, labelled "The New Order in East Asia." Is it not better to yield once more, to