The Wilmington morning star., 1944-06-02
Character In History

When the history of present-day CHINA Is
f.nallv written it will be shown that woman
had much to do with shaping the country's
course not only away from bandit leaders
but toward unification of purpose in crisis
destined indeed to try mems souls
The woman is Mayling Soong Chang, wife
of the Generalissimo of Chinas heroic anc
stole. if ill-equipped and undetermined, armies
which have withstood the japanese valantly
Since the Marco Poro bridge episode preclpi-
tated the sino-Japanese war throughout the
yeas we we're patting China on the back and
selling scrap and petroleum to Tokyo.
Mayling, the First Lady of China, as every
Wilmingtonian knows, is the daughter OF
Charles Jones Soong who as little more than
boy accepted Christianity at the Fifth Avenue
Methodist church here and played a vital
part in setting up the Chinese Republic under
Sun Vat Sen.
Volumes of publicity have been given Ma
dame Chang, because she makes good read
ing, but it has for the most part dealt with
the personal side of her life. Little has been
written of her official life This task was re-
served for Helen Hall, whose book "Mayling
Soong Chang has recently come from the
press.
It presents a picture of this interesting wo-
man which differs from what is generally
known of her in this country save by those
who, like the author, have pierced the veil
of her official life.
Here are a few excerpts from the book:
'Ier work began as long ago as the years
American education and looked at it with the
sharp perception of youth trained to see more
clearly because she had lost her familiarity
with things Chinese and had lived for ten
years in another country. Probably if you
stay forever in one spot you never know it
fully. If you 60 away and then return, you
really look at it. Mayling, fresh from college,
full of idealism and energy, looked at her
country and saw it unchanging but as land
where change must come.
"Mayling Soong wanted to have hand in
that change. Like any gifted woman, she
couldn't content herself with idleness and ease
and lack OF expression. She had learned in
America that women could do more than sit
behind curtained windows. Her wise mother
and father told her that she must learn be-
fore she could help, that she was in a way a
stranger. So she set herself to learn the
Chinese language, no small task, and to dis
cover the Chinese people,.
The ten years between Mayling's return
to China and her marriage to the Gereralis-
simo were busy, varied years; they were a
postgraduate course in preparation for the
title, First Lady of China. They were years
rich in experience, and Interestingly they show
the three main drives which are woven to-
gether in the personality of the mature Ma
dame. She is reformer, she is a student
and she likes social contact with her fellow
men and women.
with her marriage to the Generalissmo
Mayling Soong went into partnership with her
husband, working with him for China He,
drives had full scope, and all her preparation
was of use. She accompanied Chang Kai-shek
on his hazardous trips to the front, she was
present at all important interviews checking
on the interpreters work to make sure the
exact meaning was given to what the General
issirno had said
'.Madame's power and popularity in he
ovn country have increased steadily through
the sixteen years, with her dramatic fligh
to Sian establishing her once and for all as ;
xcest figure.