The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-11-07
Chang A Conservative


Quoted the war against Japan with enough
energy and speed it may be that to some
extent the fault rests with us here in the
United States, and especially among the best
friends of the Chinese people. When the Japa-
nese bandits started their attack on China
several years before the war came to Europe
and later when the Japanese armies were
sweeping everything before them, there was
one way in which Chinas friends tried to help
her keep heart, and that was to remind China
and ourselves-that time was fighting on
her side.
Especially we in the editorial profession
liked to remind the Chinese that they were
a people who did not think in years and even
decades, but in centuries and millennia To
people of $780, 100000 souls, gifted with infinite
patience and a history of many thousand
years. what were the ephemeral victories Of
the Japanese enemy?
People here liked to put the case in the
form OF light-hearted anecdotes; as when the
Chinese coolie asks what were the casualties
in the latest ARRAY, and they tell him 1000
Chinese and 200 Japanese, and he beams and
says, pretty soon no more Japs left.''
Perhaps, then we editorial persons succeed
ed too well in winning Chang Kai-shek over
to this longtime view of the situation, though
it is more likely that he did not need con-
verting in the first place. But in any event.
having sold to the Chinese pople this idea
that they have all the time in the world, we
here at home proceeded to forget our own
argument, and we have lost patience with
Chang for practicing what we preached.
To strike much more serious note, there
was the leading editorial article on this page
last Wednesday. Discussing the Chinese crisis
and particularly the case for md against
Cniang Kai-shek, the editorial writer said there
is one primary fact to keep in mind, and
this is that for seven years Chang has re-
fused to make peace with the Japanese, though
he has had tempting offers That is a re-
hinder and test which digs deep down to
the heart of one of today's biggest problems
and not only in China.
1t is the question of how shall we assess
and describe today the man, whether states
man or private citizen, of conservative views
III friendly language he is conservative
or moderate. In the more ardent vocabulary
ne easily becomes reactionary or Fascist
But when people say those harsh names they
forget one fairly large item in the picture of
the world today. They forget the World War
They forget the fight against the Axis. Is
your ''reactionary'' for or against Hitler and
Hirohito?
Now there is no question that on domestic
issues Chang is conservative. In his conflict
with the Chinese Communists he may tempt
people to call him Fascist. But always the
rejoinder must be that Chang has refused to
make peace with Japan. He has refused to
make his peace with the fascist Axis.
This test of where does a man stand in
the WARMTH Hitler and Hirohito, or against
thenl-cannot be denied to conservative like
Chang because it is the first test we use
here at home in our domestic problems. Or
rather they cease to be domestic problems
by being translated into terms of the war
against Hitler and Hirohito. About candidat
and policies and every act in public and pri-
vate life we ask only one thing-win they
speed or delay victory? 1t is only when we
think of postwar issues that we fall back
into the old Technology Of reactionary, con-
sentative, liberal, radical.
Or at least there should be no such old party
labels until the war is won. But we are all
of us poor mortals and we forget in moments
of stress People one moment will tell you that
there is only one great cause in the world
and that is the destruction of Hitler; and in
the next moment they will be very impatient
with .reactionary'' Polish landowners w o
dominate the Polish exile Government in Lon.
don: but it was Poland which first refused
to bow to Hitler and received the impact of
his first blows, and paid bitter price.
Chang is "reactionary," but he has re-
fused to bargain with Japan. Now and then
it is recalled in discussing postwar English
policy or discussing India that Winston Church
i'll is conservative. But it is also recalled
that he stood alone in the gate against Hitler.
The simple act, for future reference when
peace comes, is that in the worlds greatest
test between civilization and savagery, con-
the forefront of the armies of civilization
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