Evening star., 1942-10-05

Roosevelt Representative
Overwhelmed by Chinese
Expressions Of Good Will
By the Associated Press
CHUNGKING, Oct. Sven
dell Willkie mingled for more
than four hours with students
and faculty members at four
Chungking government educa-
tional institutions, reiterating
his message of "anti-imperial-
ism" and receiving a spontane-
Gus welcome that left him visibly
affected.
Eager, smiling Chinese students
virtually overwhelmed Mr.. Willkie
with their manifestations of good
will, cheering him again and again
as he moved from building to build
ing.
Later Mr.. Willkie lunched with
silverhaired Chen Li-fu, Minister
of Education, and then gave a
luncheon himself in honor of Brig.
Gen. Claire L. Chennault, COM
mander of the United States Army
Air Forces in China.
Eats With Chopsticks.
Leading figures of the Chinese
educational and scientific world
were present at the first luncheon,
where Mr.. Willkie for the first time
ate Chinese food with chopsticks.
He also drank China's famous Saho-
shing wine out of thimble- like cups
and pronounced it excellent.
1t was disclosed, meanwhile. that
arrangements had been made for
Mr.. Willkie to visit the Chinese bat
tlefront. but the time and place were
not revealed. ~. S''. ~ - '.''
Yesterday he had a busy day, tour
ing Chungking's war industries
meeting political leaders, including
the Communist Gen. Chou En- -lai,
and finally having a three and -one-
half-hour heart-to-heart talk with
Generalissimo Chang Kai-shek.
Gen. Chiang's American educated
wife was present at the meeting,
assisting in interpreting when deli
cate shades OF meaning were in
volved.
Both Gen. Chang and Mr., Willkie
refused to comment on the nature of
their discussion.
Mr.. Willkie said he was almost
moved to tears" by the student DEM
onstrations which greeted him at
Nanki intermediate school, Chung
king University, Central. National
University and the Central Institute
of Technology.
mo reception I've received on my
trip through many countries has so
touched me as that given me this
morning by you students, the future
leaders Of your country" he said in
one of four brief talks.
On the various campuses Mr..
Willkie stopped to talk with indi-
vidual students, cracked jokes and
brought laughs and stories about
episodes in his own university days.
He spoke without an interpreter at
National Central University and at
other schools many students were
well enough acquainted with English
to follow him easily.
Mr.. Willkie declared he was greatly
impressed by what he saw yesterday
in Chungking's humming factories,
moved inland only a few years ago
when the Japanese seized the
Chinese seaboard.
These industries are efficiently
operated and the employees are skill
ful," he said. What Is being done
is we'll done. A number Of social
problems remain to be solved, how
ever. such as the high labor turnover.
"One of the principal problems Of
Free China is the transformation OF
an agricultural people to an indus
trial basis"
Talks With Workers. >.
Mr.. Willkie talked informally with
millhands, factory workers and
clerks, seeking their attitude toward
the war and their feeling toward
China's allies. fs.s&- -I.
why doesn't China make a sepa-
rate peace?" Mr.. Willkie asked one
worker. You can make peace with
Japan. What difference do the
United Nations make?"
mo, mol" the worker replied We
hemently. We'll never do that"
Earlier, Mr.. Willkie was the gues'
of honor at q tea at which Mime
Chang had assembled host of Chi.
nese and foreign notables. Mr.. Will.
kie delighted the assemblage by be.
slowing a spontaneous kiss on 9
Chinese girl war orphan-one o.
seven who sang q song of welcome.
Among those at the tea were 1t
Gen. Joseph w. stilwell, American
commander Of the Allied forces IL
| China