Evening star., 1936-08-23

sAAS . 80 A%1-oS 40 6OAAC' ~ AoC S1lC NCI
nacular, Japan has missed the boat"
The situation regarding China Is
now approaching something OF the
same state and once again cautious
ness may prevent the outbreak of war.
The other factor that may avert war
is the possibility that the level heads
Of Japan, the non-militarist school
Of thought, may prevail in determine
ing Japan's China policy.
Not since the days of the first En-
perors of the Ia Ching dynasty has
China been as unified and as strong
as 1t is today. Those who have not
been in China for the last year or so,
but who did know China as it used
to be. cannot possibly conceive this.
nor will they believe it. What seemed
to be impossible in China has actually
happened or, more correctly speak
ing, is in process Of happening and
of happening very rapidly at this
moment.
Feeling Of Patriotism.
A genuine feeling of patriotism, or
realization Of the necessity Of sac
rificing ones self and ones own in
terests for the good of the nation is
prevalent throughout all China under
the control of the Marking govern
ment. 1t seems little short Of mir
acle, but it is now blunt fact. The
two factors most responsible for this
are the aggressive actions of Japan
in, Chino u-hirh RI the Chinese
outright persecution. and the spread
of the radio.
How oppression from abroad. in
this case Japan, might unity peo-
pie is understand BILE. Not only has
Manchuria been effectively Topped off
China, but the old metropolitan prov
ince in which Peiping and Tientsin
are located is occupied by several
thousand japanese troops, the Nam
king government is forced to bow to
the will of Japan again and again
and, most important of all, the Chi
nese pocketbook is being touched and
every Chinese is losing face" through
the smuggling conducted under the
quiescent protection of Japan. Here
are the motives for welding people
into a strong unit. The radio offers
the means for accomplishing it.
Only per cent of the Chinese
people can read and write; there is
no common spoken language; means
of transportation are so poor that
speakers cannot stump the country.
The radio, however, for the first time
~, nf hictarr
makes it possible to reach virtually
every Chinese within a few hours
The same speech in a half dozen
different dialects goes out regularly
from Nanking, and all China listens
A receiving set and loud speaker are
being installed in every village under
Markings control, and that is now
nearly the whole Of China, ut least
south of the Yellow River. Every
Chinese knows of and resents Japans
policy In China. In the event Of wal
every Chinese would be reused to fever
pitch for the defense Of his country.
Improvements Are Cited.
In other ways has the central gov
ernment, under the guiding hand Of
Generalissimo Chang Kai-Shek, built
up and strengthened not only itself
but China as a state, the Chinese peo-
pie as a unity. Chinese government
officials no longer think as they form.
erly did, no longer hold the same OBJ
jectives in view. Through the estab-
lishment of cooperative credit associa-
tions the excessive interest rates,
amounting to usury, once paid by the
Chinese peasant are disappearing
Public health and sanitation are be-
ing promoted on a national scale. Ths
same paper dollar is worth its full face
value everywhere in China where Nam
kings rule effectively extends and thus
the government has regained the sov.
ereign right of coinage, which 1t hac
once dispersed among its multitude of
war lords. Industralization has begun,
although still in its infancy. Coco
roads are being pushed by gang.
working day and night and actually
paid their wages. Gradually educa.
ton is being extended.
All this sounds incredible to thost
who knew the China of even five
years ago. but the writer is recording
here eyewitness testimony, not only
his own but that of others who live
in China and know what is going on
Even in Shanghai, where perhaps
most foregn residents know next Il
nothing about China, many realize
what is taking place.
Chang Kai-Shek has a large all
force at his call and at least 100000
well-armed and comparatively vel
trained men on whose unquestionint
loyalty he can depend. Last Sprint
he took advantage of the trouble II
the northern Province of Shansi t.
bring 1t under his control, the frs.
time that Shansi has really been con.
trolled by the central government sinc'
Yen Hsi-Shan made 1t the mode
province" Earlier, Chang brough
nearly all the interior Of the countr!
back under the aegis of the Nankini
regime. More recently, the two south.
western provinces of Kwangtung ant
Kwangsi have been effectively re
incorporated into China following
alf-hearted and abortive revolt. Onl'
that part Of China which lies adjacem
to the great wall and Is either occu'
pied by Japanese troops or could b.
so occupied within g few days, If hi
policy there became too strong, is ou
Of his grasp at present.
Strongest Fighting Machine.
No Chinese within the memory o
living man has ever commanded
strong and efficient fighting ma
chine as does Chang Kai-Shek today
He has an almost united people be
hind him, united In their opposition
to Japan and willing to sacrifice pri
vate for national interest. He ha
the support and cooperation Of tn
powerful Soong financial group.
Chang Kai-Shek has the friend
ship of Great Britain, whose veste'
interests in China are suffering q
Japanese hands and whose economi
interests there clash with those
Japan at almost every point. He ha