1936-10-10 — Page 19

THE CHINA MAIL DOUBLE TENTH SUPPLEMENT -

CHIANG, BUILDER OF MODERN CHINA

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this land - traditionally regarded as eternally changeless and so sunk in dreams of the past. that awakening was deened im- possible there occurred few years ago a political and that can social upheaval only be compared to outflow of lava from bawels of the earth in times of seismic activity. This is known in China as the na- tional movement. What it really portended was known only to a few leaders, of whom the subject of this article is the admitted chief, who have essayed to lead their country- men in safe, but progressive. paths. This minority tho- roughly realizes what the new national movement means, and what it can accomplish under proper direction, and they have therefore throw themselves wholeheartedly in- to the task of guiding the nation. politically, economic- ally and socially along the path of progress to the goal of national unity.

of Hitherto the hard crust convention had bound fast the seed of new leadership beneath as it struggled to burst through into the light. From the first day of the Republic it is net necessary to go further back- the conservative elements had rejected. each appeal that was made to them to join in the great and transcendently difficult enterprise of transforming China into an up-to-date country. The dead wrappings of the past. had always constrained the aspiring spirit of an awakening nation

Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek.

that demanded a better order of things

Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek then stepped out upon the poli- tical stage, and after strenuous efforts. succeeded in bursting these dead wrapping asunder. The national movement berani The new life appeared. Modera leadership emerized triumphantly. Under it a series of reforms were introduced, which will undoubt edly save China from gradual distintegration if she is given sufficient time to work out her own salvation unmolested.

Even his bitterest pulitical opponents concede Generalissimo Chiang the credit of being the heart

without firm conviction that unification and unification by consent and not by force - China would continue would

to

new life to the nation. It must be remembered that he has bad the loyal assistance without which accomplishment have been impossible of men like Mr. Wang Ching-wei, Dr. H. H. Kung, Mr. T. V. Spong. and Mr. Sua Fo. to name only a few.

itself

National aspiration of can accomplish little. Although full of fervour and enthusiasm the people can but gropingly progress toward the light unless they have leadership. The con- temporary history of Italy, Ger- many. America and Russia is necessarily largely the history of Mussolini. Hitler, Roosevelt and Stalin. The conditions that existed in those countries ob- tained also in China. A leader was called for. Someone had to bear the standard and lead the way, and that honourable. but onerous. task devolved upon Chiang Kai-shek. Consequently an account of China's recent na- tional progress in politics, ecuno- mies and social affairs must largely auto- needs be mainly biographical and a record of the personal guidance of the leader placed by Fate in the vanguard.

This article does not profess to be a biography of the Generai- issimo. While the earlier periods of his life were full of advent-

and interest, what is of. ture

to his concern relates career since the successful cou- clusion of the northern punitive. expedition which made possible · the permanent tablishment of the National (vernment withr

Pro the capital.. Nanking as bably it was during that expedi- Generalissimo's tion that the

present and soul of the reform movement. Much, if not most of what has been accomplished during the last few years can be traced directly and indirectly to his influence, support and initia tive. From every political camp. even radical, he has Kathered his band of helpers to give a

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powerless, and thus be at the mercy of any strong nation de- sirous of exploiting her weak- ness. became solidified and dom- inated all his subsequent actions.

Unhappily his sincerity was not at first recognised by certain political opponents who failed to realise that a new day had dawn- ed. They started successive military operations against the National Government. and the latter had reluctantly to oppose force to force and crush the opposition. But those unfor- tunate days are over, and many of the foes of a few years ago are the friends of to-day. The flame of civil war has died com- pletely out. and the remaining "war lords." who were formerly ready to challenge the National Government whenever ambition stirred them, have either gone into permanent retirement or have acquiesced in the new order of things and are now valued central au- supporters of the thority. To the Generalissimo is largely due the credit of having inspired the conviction

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the people who formerly regard- ed civil war as a feature of na tional life as inevitable and un- preventable as natural calamities that to raise the banner of re- bellion without legitimate cause is a crime against the nation.

Having eliminated civil war. the opportunity was afforded to grapple in real earnest with the Communist scourge. Its removal was essential to unification-- it was now the only obstacle. The

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