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Show EDITORIAL: China - The Unsolved Problem . . . ihe recent success of the Communist Com-munist armies in North China .ias iorccd the United States to :econsider its policy in China, with the probability that steps be taken to lend assistance lo Generalissimo Chiang Kai- We know entirely too little about conditions in China and, consequently, can hardly pass mielligent judgment upon the Communists and Nationalists who are now engaged in a deadly dead-ly struggle for the control of China. The idea has been advanced advanc-ed that the Communists in the North of China represent nothing more than those involved in an agrarian revolt, but of late there has been a hesitancy to accept the belief that China can get along with a government composed com-posed of Nationalists and Com-rmnists. Com-rmnists. Unable to pass objective judgment judg-ment upon the Chinese Communists, Com-munists, one is influenced by the lessons of the past few years when everybody has seen what happens when Communists get into a coalition government. Consequently, Con-sequently, if the choice in China is between a Communist Government Gov-ernment and a non-Communist Government, the nation must weigh the results which will follow fol-low a decision in the war going . on in China. i It may be, and it quite likely lis a fact, that the Nationalist Government of China is infested with political corruption. The ancient habit of "squeezing" the helpless inhabitants of the country coun-try may not coincide with American Amer-ican ideals, but in our condemnation condem-nation of grafting politicians, we must not lose sight of the more dangerous "squeeze" that will be put on the people if the Communists acquire control of the Chinese population. Certainly, Certain-ly, thieving officials can be eliminated in time, but one doubts whether a Comunist regime re-gime can be overthrown when it has robbed the Chinese people of their freedom. The great "Yellow Peril which bothered statesmen a few generations ago, gives evidence of a fear of what might happen if 'the uncounted millions of China could be organized into an army of aggressive warfare. While such a possibility exists if Chinese Chi-nese Nationalist leaders follow the example of Japan, one is forced to admit that the chances for such an onslaught against the Western world and its civilization civi-lization will be greatly enhanced if the vast millions of China are regimented under a Communist leadership - which draws its inspiration in-spiration from Russia. For these reasons, we have about reached the conclusion mat the United States, as a matter of self-interest, should throw some support to the existing Nationalist National-ist Government of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. While we should make every effort to see that the assistance evtended is distributed without graft or political po-litical corruption, there is no occasion oc-casion for us to attempt to reform re-form the Chinese race in accordance accord-ance with American ideals. Our function, in connection with our money, is limited to such supervision as may be necessary nec-essary to see that the money snent accomplish the purpose, in mind. Certainly, a few hund-dred hund-dred million dollars advanced to the Chinese Government, may make it possible for the Nationalists National-ists to overcome the Communist threat, even if it doesn't make the Chinese Government a model to be emulated and admired by the rest of the world. |