Milford chronicle., 1951-09-28
WILL THE CHINESE REVOLT?


people will revolt against communism, and
overthrow Mao's tough dictatorship. They
believe that the ruthless purges-rellable
reDOrts tell of thousands of public eXecu-
tiOns-must have disguised masses Of the
Chinese and led to widespread unrest. I'm
uuestiOnably, Chinas dictatorship will col
lapse-histOry has shown that tyrannical
government is rarely stable government. The
trouble in the case of China is the incredible
differences between the status of the average
Chinese and his American counterpart, and
the enormous gulf that exists between East
and West.
In the United States, as in all advanced
countries. there is a continual flow of ideas.
The newspapers and magazines, books, the
radio, televisiOn-all keep the people IN
formed as to the great and minor issues and
events of the day. Every conceivable school
of thought makes itself heard. Debate is
endless.
In China to the contrary, there are no
such mediums of communication, outside OF
a few big cities The great masses OF the
Chinese people live in a perfect vacuum so
far as the interchange of ideas and knowl-
edqe-beyond the purely village level-is
concerned. 1t is perfectly conceivable that
MANY Chinese have never so much as heard
of the Korean War, for example, or know
that Red China is engaged in it.
haps more of the Chinese people are unable
to read and write. When the communists
conscript men for the army, they teach them
TO read q certain number of characters
sufficient to give them an understanding OF
simple orders and bulletins and propaganda
material. They have no opportunity to hear
or read anything in opposition to the Red
theology.
AS a theoretical proposition, what would
tunitv to freely choose between Communism
and democracy? The answer, in all prob
ability. is nothing! Most of the Chinese have
absolutely no conception of what either
word stands for, and, in the second place
they wouldn't be interested. China IS tne
biggest poor house on earth. A primary
ambition and interest of the average per
son is to get something to eat, Olt OF 1uel
some kind of rude shelter from the ran
and snow and cold. His loyalty will tenC
toward any government which will improv
his miserable living standards to even tn
slightest degree Reporters who know Ret
China saw that Mao has managed to bette
the lot of the coOlie trifie.
AS for the purges, there is reason to be
lieVe that they meet with the approval o
millions upon millions Of Chinese. The VIC
TINS are usually landowners and Individual
of some position in the community. ines
people have been bitterly hated by the coOll
class. The hatred has been intensified b
clever and intensive Red propaganda
has the hatred of the Chinese for the Unite
States and England.
This does not mean that the bosses of Re
China have no troubles They have plent
and they face inconceivably complex admin
istrative problems. A major famine
ever-present menace in China-might topp
the government. So might trade embari
applied by the anti-communist world. Al
in the long run it is not unreasonable to hol
that some remnant of the Chinese spirit
philosophy of life that created one of Il
oldest and most cultured civilizations
earth will revolt against the goddess cOnce
of communism.
NSG@R&