The Wanganui Chronicle MONDAY, MAY 23, 1949 THE COMMUNIST DRIVE IN CHINA

Wanganui Chronicle, 23 May 1949, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle MONDAY, MAY 23, 1949 THE COMMUNIST DRIVE IN CHINA

THE extent of the Communist drive in China is to be appreciated when it is realised that it was in November that the Communist forces occupied the e'nief city of the Province of Manchuria, Mukden, and today they are at the gates of Shanghai. It is as though an invader had moved from the North Cape to the Bluff in the short space of six months.

It would be difficult to believe that this advance could be ac'nieved by the Chinese Communists acting on their own initiative and without outside aid. When the Russians withdrew from the province of Manchuria they left behind them vast stores of equipment taken from the Japanese. These came into the possession of the Communist forces of China which was very convenient, indeed. Tne extent to which Russian leadership has contributed to the success of Communist forces must remain, for the time being at any rate, unknown. x While the advantage of outside aid could be assumed to have been enjoyed by the invaders it is obvious that had there been anything like a determined defence of the country the successes which have been achieved by the forces fnat have swept down from the north would not have been so great. It does not appear, however, that the Nationalist forces have ever been able to make a determined stand. Why has the resistance been so weak? The claim is that the Government does not hold the confidence of the people. That, may be, but why has there been so much deterioration? It is claimed that this is due to the low level of existence which is the lot of most of the people. Anything for a change is a bad philosophy, but when the conditions appear to be unbearable then people will have a change whether it be logical or no. The Communists offer land reform and debt abolition and these are always winning cards where the mass of the people arc in a state of extreme poverty. Such a policy makes allies everywhere among the people who are likely to benefit and so infiltration into a territory such as China becomes an easy matter. When the Communist forces were on the northern bank of the Yangtse River and the Nationalist forces were manning the south bank there was a possibility of a stalemate developing, the river proving to Be an impassable boundary. But once again the familiar picture was presented: the Communists moved across the river during the night, went into hiding until their strength had been built up and then appeared suddenly to surround a vital point in the defence of the south bank. The Communists have doubtless been assisted by the economic chaos that has spread through Nationalist China. People have lost faith in the currency, the price system has skyrocketed, barter must perforce be adopted. The most sensible thing to do ■ woujd be for the contending sides to conclude a compromise agreement, but the Communists are confident that they can eliminate the Government and they see no reason why they should make any concessions.

When Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek resigned, the Premier, Sun Fo, found great difficulty in forming a Government. This was made more difficult by the charges laid against Mr. T. A . Soong, Governor of the Kuangtung Province, of squandering public funds. This brother of Madam Chiang could hardly have chosen a worse time to be found out for it must have strengthened the determination of America not to throw good money after bad in China. The British communities in China have remained at their posts. It will be asked why it is that these communities have not withdrawn. This is easy enough to ask but it must be remembered that British interests—legitimate interests—are very great indeed and they need to be looked after, especially in a period when the country is in a state of flux. How will the Communists view these foreign interests? How do t'ney ever view them. They can be depended upon to take what they can and to leave what they must. The Communists in China, however, may bring about tax relief and they may bring about a lowering of indebtedness for the peasants and to this extent they will confer benefits. on the people on the land. The main problem, however, will remain, and that is the difficulty confronting any rulers: the administrative bigness of the country, the ease with which a warlord can establish himself and sustain his position, aud the pressure of population on the sources of food supply. China can import various kinds of foodstuffs and she can also import manufactures provided she exports. It is this problem which must be solved before any worthwhile improvement in living standards can be made a. reality. The life of China is in the interior. It is conscious of its internal existence, but the railways and the rivers run to the coast and it is there that the big cities are and the great ports are to be found. Whatever China's consciousness may be her developments in economic fields make her coastwise conscious and there is every reason for believing that the Communists will find it expedient to keep this coastal front in existence as soon as they become established. The American and British colonies there must consequently be available to present a link with Communist China as the necessary desire becomes evident. That this will occur sooner oi later is a reasonable presumption. After fiiat events in China will probably conform to their usual pattern, there will be a development of provincial governors who will act independently of the central Government, new private armies will be established and another period of chaos develop. Somewhere in the distant future a unified China may evolve but it does not yet appear to be a probability within sight. It may be that in the end separate national states will develop along lines of geographical division. How happy Europe must account 'nerself at”being a continent of peninsulas wherein each of which a national culture could be developed in an environment of its own!