Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-12

The removal of Gen. Joseph w. Still
well as chief of stan to Generalissimo
Chang Kai-shek and his replacement
by the much more diplomatic and soft
spoken Maj. Gen. Albert Wedemeyer
does not materially change the situation
in China and the precarious position of
the generalissimo himself.
Much was made Of the dissension be-
tween Gen. Stilwell and Chang. The
truth is that the two men had never
seen eye to eye on most of the problems
confronting them. After Pearl Harbor,
when China and the United States be-
came allies in the war, Gen. George
Marshall, who like all military men in
the United States, has the highest re-
gard for Vinegar Joe's" ability, wanted
Gen. Stilwell to become Chiangs chief
military adviser.
Gen. Marshall knew there had been
frictions in the past between the two
men, but believed they could be over
come. Chang himself believed as much
when he approved Gen. Marshall's sug-
gestion. But unfortunately the good re-
lations between the generalissimo and
his American chief of staff lasted only
a few weeks.
Then, the squabbling started and in
creased until Chang decided he wanted
another man at his side. Military quar-
tiers in Washington, which for a long
time had been aware of the friction,
say the question of the difference in
temperament between the two men
which led to Gen. Stilwell's recall does
not detract ut all from the sterling mil
itary qualities Of the general. Chang,
who was the big boss in his country, had
a perfect right to insist on a change.
Widemeyer Highly Regarded.
But the fact that Gen. Wedemeyer,
who Is regarded as one of the most bril-
liant war planners on the general stan,
has become Chiang's right-hand man,
is not likely to change the gloomy pic
ture of the Chungking government. The
situation is too far gone to be restored
by a change of personalities.
China Is now divided into four areas
each with its own overload.
There are five or six provinces in the
northwest known as Communist China;
there Is the Chang government which
has shrunk from a vast portion of
China, with the capital at Marking
into small area with no communica-
ton with the outside world except by
air; there is the territory under the
overlordship of Field Marshal Ii Chi
shen known commonly as the Kwangsi
military clique which is opposed to
Chang and the other Chinese leaders,
but is known to be determinateiy anti
Japanese. and there is, finally, the Jap
anese puppet government of China with
its seat in Chiang's former capital at
Marking.
The Communists have the full support
Of the Russians. And while this is repre-
sented today by only trickle Of goods
which may be sent from Siberia and
Outer Mongolia by caravan or plane, the
leaders Of that government have strong
hopes that as soon as the war in Europe
is over and the USSR can turn to the
Far East with all its might, they will be
efficiently and strongly supported by
their Moscow sponsors
Ii Seeks U. S. Support.
Marshal Ii is described as a progress
sive who has cohesive army and is
counting the United States for support
at time when the China coast can
be opened up by an invasion of Ameri-
can forces. In his area he has intro
duced drastic progressive reforms which
the Chang group regards as Com
munistic.' In fact, however, Marshal Ii
has no dealings with Moscow and ex-
poets eventually to become the top man
in China with the assistance of the
United States
In the Japanese-occupied China
things are bad, but nowhere near as bad
as in the Chunking controlled section
OF the country. The Japanese consider
the Chinese as chattel and give them
the same consideration and care a
farmer would give his COWS or mules
ne needs for his farm. The major crops
of the Chinese are being Communicated