THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for transmission through the Post as a newspaper. SATURDAY OCTOBER 25, 1947 Wedemeyer's Diagnosis Of China's Troubles

Northern Advocate, 25 October 1947, Page 6

THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for transmission through the Post as a newspaper. SATURDAY OCTOBER 25, 1947 Wedemeyer's Diagnosis Of China's Troubles

General Wedemeyer. who visited China on behalf of President Truman to ascertain the facts concerning the growth of Communism in the ancient land, has made a report which commands serious consideration. The President’s envoy' js apparently convinced that the majority of the Chinese people do not wish to become Communists, but, being realists, they passively' accept any form of Government that provides food and shelter. The campaign of the Communists is helped by the fact that though Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek appears to be a sincere and worthy leader of the Nanking Government his efforts to promote unity and pblitical justice are being dangerously hindered by subsidiary influences within his own ranks. So far as North China is concerned, the Chinese Communists did not run true to the Soviet type, and were consequently not supported to any extent by the Russians. Now, however, .says General Wedemeyer, Soviet propaganda and Soviet support of the Chinese Communist movement have intensified the difficulties of establishing order throughout the country. It is further stressed that the Nanking Government cannot hope to regain the confidence of the Chinese people unless it makes drastic political and economic changes, including the summary dismissal of many' corrupt and incompetent officials, who. through desire to enrich themselves at the expense of the country, . strongly oppose every democratic proposal made by Chiang.

It is interesting in this connection to note that an American commentator recently said Washington's earlier readiness to support Chiang Kai-shek against a Communist rebellion has been progressively tempered as the true character of the Kuomintang dictatorship has emerged.

Sympathy, it was stated, has given place to impatience, and Chiang’s drawn-out failure to initiate any real reforms has been increasingly criticised.

In the light of these statements, the United States faces a serious dilemma in China, for while the country is naturally reluctant to abandon a bulwark against the extension of Communist, and therefore Russian, influence in the Far East, increasing evidence of popular revolt against Chiang’s regime makes more awkward and distasteful America's backing of the Chinese National Government.

General Wedemeyer’s report bears out the opinion expressed by Mr Marshall, now United States Secretary of State, that* the Kuomintang was “dominated by reactionaries determined to preserve their own feudal control of China.

That constituted sweeping condemnation which there is good reason to fear was too well founded. The United States must now decide whether it will continue to support an inefficient party dominated by corrupt officials or induce Chiang, while there is still time, to get rid of evil influences and rally the Chinese people—Communists as well as anti-Communists —to the succouring of the nation.