The Wilmington morning star., 1946-02-01
interpreting
The News
BY JAMES d. WHITE
Press Staff Writer

Associated Press Staff Writer
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 31-E-
Once again, China is back on the
road to unity.
She is back with the aid of
American and possibly Russian
advice, and after long and bitter
internal wrangling. But this time
the wranglers faced major issues
squarely and reached agreement
instead of deadlock, so that China's
prospects of reaching her goal
peaceful unity-are better than
ever.
The powerful Kuomintang party
has approved all divisions OF the
political consultative conference,
which was called to chart the most
practicable way to convert Chlna's
one-party government into 4 more
representative form.
No one thinks this will be easy.
Charting the course wasn't easy,
but it was done. Sailing the
course will be even harder, and
drawn out longer.
The P. c. c. haggled for weeks
on critical matters. Its work was
greatly eased when Gen. George
c. Marshall, the special Aneri-
can envoy, got government and
Communist leaders to agree to a
truce on fighting which threaten
ed to become civil war.
But the P. C. c. could not get
the Kuomintang and the Com
munists to make the necessary con-
cessions if it was to set up work
able machinery which must carry
China through a delicate time.
That is the time which must
elapse until national assembly
can adopt a new constitution to
serve as living reference point
for the future political disputes
bound to arise.
The assmebly itself was a ma
jor issue. The existing slate was
packed with Kuomintang mem
bers. A compromise was reached
which doesn't reduce Kuomintang
members, but which does reduce
their proportionate representa-
ton in an unwieldy-looking roster
OF 1850 assemblymen.
But this and other issues were
not agreed upon until after w.
Averel Hartman, the American
Ambassador to Moscow, arrived
in Cnungking on his way home
He took the long way, and obvious
~ brought the latest word from
Moscow.
In the absence of word to the
contrary, it may be assumed that
ne brought from Russia advice
on three things:
l. Fresh affirmation of Soviet
Willingness to go along with the
United States policy Of fostering a
united but more democratic China
z. This cooperation, to be con.
tlngent upon an end to the hag-
ghng between the Communists and
the Kuomintang.
3. And an end to the natural in.
chnatlon Chungking has shown to
pit Russian and American policies
and prejudices against each other
General Marshall's tactful coun.
sci had led the Chinese factions to
the brink of agreement. The
Soviet jog may have encouraged
them to take the plunge into the
necessary, mutual concessions,
which weren't made until after
Hartman arrived.
Once again, the inference is
clear until disproved that unity
in China depends not only upon
the Chinese themselves, but also
upon a clear coordination of Rus
so-American policy toward China.
The unity reached in Chungking
Is a magnificent present of hope
for the China people as they enter
their traditional New Year festivi-
ties this weekend.
But the captains in China have
merely agreed how to chart a
course, which remains to be sail
ed. Well know more about that
by the time the firecrackers go
off again a year from now.
LaBarge, in the northeast cor
ner of Lincoln county, Wyo., is said
to have the nations largest shallow
al ELLA