Evening star., 1940-02-20
BY A. T. STEELE.

"y 1As H. . LLALs
Chicago Daily News Foreign CORRESPONDENT.
SHANGHAI.-Frustration is noth-
ing new to Mr.. Wang Ching-wei, the
opportunistic, impractical but canny
politician who ran away from
Chungking more than a year ago to
elope with the Japanese.
To the Chinese government Wang
is traitor and a puppet. To the
japanese Army, which wants him as
the head of central government in
China. Wang is slippery politician
who keeps asking more and more
and still balks at putting his sigma
ture OH the dotted line.
Wang's estimate Of himself is
naturally more exalted. He says he
is no puppet, but a patriot who seeks
to effect an honorable and lasting
peace between Japan and China as
the crowning achievement of his
career.
Wang has fallen long way in
popular estimation since he ran out
on his colleagues at Chungking.
Wang's only chance Of reinstating
himself in public favor is by bring
ing the Sino-Japanese abyss on a
basis satisfactory to all China. If
he fails, it will be but another-and
probably the INSTRUMENTATION in a
lifetime devoted to reaching for the
stars.
Dogged by Lifetime Jinx.
A man of fiery temperament,
spectacular methods and overwhelm-
ing ambition, Wang has several times
during his career been within reach
Of the supreme power he coveted,
only to be checked on each occasion
just a single notch from his goal.
And each time the obstacle in his
path was Gen. Chang Kai-shek.
If ever man has been dogged by
a lifetime jinx, that man is Wang
Ching-wei. And now with sickness
and age creeping up on him he will
have to work fast if he is to shake
off the spell" He Is stalking his life,
his reputation, and his place in
Chinese history in an attempt to
settle his old feud with Chang
Kai-shek and at the same time to
consummate a Sino-Japanese peace.
Who can say which motive Is upper
most in his mind2
One Of Wang's doctors has been
quoted as saying that Wang's con-
dition is so dangerous that he could
pass out of the picture at any time.
On the other hand, with care, he
may prolong his life for years. He
Is suffering from chronic kidney
ailment, a liver infection and is re-
puted to be still carrying in his back
one of the bullets fired into him by
a would-be assassin at Marking In
1895. Today, Wang is unable to relax
his guard for single instant against
the twin perils Of fatal illness and
assassination
First Big Frustratfon.
Wang Ching-we was born at
Canton 81 years ago; yet despite the
delicacy Of his health he looks 10
years younger than his age. He was
callow, sensitive youth Of 10, burn
ing with nationalistic fervor, when
he went to Japan to study. It was
there that he joined the Tung Meng
Hui, DR.. Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary
party, and began plotting the over
throw of the Manchu dynasty.
He had his first big chance and
suffered his first big Illustration
when he attempted unsuccessfully to
assassinate the prince regent Of
|. China, father Of the present En-
peror of Manchukuo. Condemned to
prison for life, he was released at the
outbreak of the revolution In 1911.
Wang, like Chang Kai-shek, was
an ardent disciple Of DR.. Sun and
probably was closer to the father
of the Chinese revolution than was
the present generalissimo Of China.
When DR.. Sun lay dying In March,
1925, he entrusted Wang with the
mission of drafting his will-now q
state document.
Wang considered himself the
rightful heir to the mantle of lead
ership relinquished by the venerated
DR.. Sun. He was elected, almost
Immediately after DR.. Suns death, to
the Craftsmanship Of the new nation
alistic government at Canton. But
another young follower Of DR.. Sun
Chang Kai-shek-was then rising
fast. Wang discovered to his dis
appointment that he was only No.
2, after all. He never graduated from
that status.
Eloquent Orator.
Wang was and Is the most elo-
quent orator in China But In China,
oratorical prowess and political
acumen avail little without an army; !;
and Wang Ching-wei has never COM
manded an army that he could call
his own. That explains why he had
to play second fiddle to Gen. Chang
Kai-shek. Today, under Japanese
protection, Wang is organizing IN
army that he hopes viii do his bid
ding. but It 10 yet to bs put to test.
Wang u the grasshopper a