Evening star., 1945-02-18
CHINA AFTER SEVEN
YEARS OF WAR
Edited by Hollington X. Tong.
macmillan; $2.)

Edited by Holhngton X. Tong.
macmillan; $2.)
Reviewed by DAVID LU,
Chief, Washington Bureau, Central
NetUs Agency OF China.
The average American John Doe
will find in China After Seven
Years of War; something bit more
understandable of how freedom
loving Chinese exist under wartime
conditions than in the recent volu-
minous publications on China. 1t
will be book which an ordinary
American can appreciate though to
the Far Eastern experts it may be
disappointing as the 246 pages are
not loaded with wartime statistics or
boastful achievements of the people
in power. Chronic critics of China
whose sole objects are to pick minor
flaws in an Official publication of this
type will undoubtedly be dismayed
because there isn't single reference
in the whole volume on the so-called
tang-Communist friction.
China After Seven Years of War
is collection of essays written by
five Chinese and two American
writer's, edited by DR.. Hollington K.
Tong, Vice Minister of Information.
Three of these articles have already
appeared in the monthly magazine,
China at War, published by the Chi
nese News Service, Inc, during the
past year. China After Four Years
of War. published in 1941, and China
After Five Years of War, published
in 1912 (no book was published dur
ing the sixth year, give long lists
of the central government achieve
ments and detailed statistics during
those periods.
Heroism and Hardship.
The current volume, curiously
enough, is complete change from
earlier publications. There are no
figures Or tables, and as DR.. Tong
says in his foreword' this book is
designed to give picture of several
aspects of Chinese life and China's
struggle against aggression after
seven, years of war. : 1t tells of
heroism of Chinese flyers and in
fantrymen fighting side by side with
their American allies. of the hard
ships endured by government en-
ployes who live with their wives and
children in straw thatched cottages
around the buildings in which they
work, of the efforts of dramatists
and novelists who have used litera-
ture as weapon to fight the Japa-
nese. 1t depicts the life of students
in the refuge universities, describes
the curious and indestructible city
of Chungking and gives the story of
the aviators who maintain the thin
line of communication between
China and the world beyond the
blockade 50
This is probably one of the first
books on wartime China to depict
the simple life of the ordinary Chi
nese John Doe under circumstances
unparalleled in other countries. 1t
does not present any controversial
political issues for partisan debate.
The only subject which might be
considered political is the chapter
on Progress toward constitutional
government" which gives brief
but not too comprehensive story of
the march toward democracy in
China since 1885,
All seven articles are factual and
personal experiences of what each
writer saw, heard and experienced,
and they reported accordingly.
They advanced no political theories
or predictions, but told how the Chi
nese people, despite the war, con-
tinue to make love, marry, have
babies and to support growing FAM
lilies on meager incomes.
New Hope for China.
This book will be a welcomed
change from the other heavy" cur
rent publications on wartime China,
her economic imitation, military in
efficiency, party strifes and govern
ment bureaucracy. It's refreshing to
know about the incredible spirit of
China's wartime capital of Chung
king, about babies being born in
dugouts during air raids. about the
farmer who plows the good earth
free from the Japanese military heel,
about refugee students who con-
tinue to study music, dramatics and
play westernized games and sports.
and about the Chinese CT, trained
under Joe Stilwell, who fought to
open the lifeline into China from In
dia and Burma This huoox civac nav,