Salient: An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 12, No. 5, June 8th, 1949.

Reasons

Reasons

The revolutionary forces are winning because they are giving 80% of the people what they want. They are giving honest government, local democracy, light taxes and enough to eat and enough to wear for everybody. Such a programme is bound to win.

If we let things take their natural course in China quickly, without prolonging the struggle by arming Chiang Kai-Shek, we will get a progressive government which will include part of the Kuomintang, a large amount of middle-of-the-road influence and some Communists. The longer we keep Chiang Kai-Shek in power, the stronger will the left wing become.

It is interesting to note that what the revolutionary forces are giving the people in the way of land reform and local democracy is what every political party for the last forty years has been promising the people.

The U.S.A. talk about non-intervention in China, but the billions of dollars and war material they have granted Chiang have not been aimed at peaceful ends.

The U.S. has trained and armed for the Kuomingtang 700.000 combat troops and 50,000 special service operatives called by various names. At least 2000 airmen are being trained in the U.S., not to mention the great training scheme for 250.000 men in Formosa.

Military Training Schools have been set up by the U.S. Army for the Kuomintang sinve V.-J. Day in the following places:—Tsingtas, Nanking, Kunming, Chunking, Canton, Henyang. Hankow, Hsuchow and several more are planned.

U.S. military training personnel has been estimated at about 4000. There is no doubt that U.S. Army men are now assisting in the direction of the civil war.

Dr. Endicott concluded this interview with these words of Dr. T. C. Chao. Dean of Religion in the American missionary university of Yen-king:—

"Many of the leading Christians in China are thanking God for the rapid victory or the Popular Army as being the only means for the Chinese people to get peace and reconstruction."

S. T. H. Scoones.