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wide attention, the major activities of the co-operatives being connected with the financing of the farmers. I append a note() upon the operation of these co-operatives.
Social Reconstruction.
109. China is at the moment in a transition time of great difficulty, though the transition is undoubtedly being assisted and indeed made possible by the fierceness and brutality of the Japanese aggression. The old methods, which were the result of centuries of misrule with their inefficiency and corruption, are gradually being replaced by standards of honesty and efficiency, which have been made vitally necessary through the urgent demands for service in the cause of a strengthened China to defeat Japanese aggression. Madame has taken up this cause with great keenness and it has the strong backing of the Generalissimo. The New Life Movement, which is one of the implements by which this change is sought to be brought about, has not, however, had a very successful career as, although everyone gives it his nominal support, it does not seem to have accomplished a great deal. Perhaps the best of its activities is the starting of short courses in administration for civil servants, magistrates, provincial governors and administrators of all kinds, The main object of these is to inculcate methods and standards of honesty and efficiency and they are said to be having very considerable success. Mme. Chiang recognises the difficulties and set-backs which the movement has encountered, but takes the view that it must be supported at all cost since. if it now fails, the people will lose all faith in reconstruction movements.
110. Among the younger elements, and particularly the returned students from various European countries and America, there is a very intense realisation of the need for new ways, but they often find themselves in difficulties because of the older administrators who still cling to, or are unwilling to put aside, the old methods, and often, in the effort to save the face of their superiors, they find themselves engulfed in the same practices.
111. The Communists are very strong in their attack upon the old corruption, and as a result a number of the younger and keener elements have joined with the Communists quite irrespective of their precise political beliefs. It is difficult, if not impossible, for a foreigner to judge how far any realisation of the deficiencies of the old methods has invaded the minds of the common people or how far they are discontented with the present state of affairs. My impression is that the change will have to be brought about from above, and not from below, as the common people have become traditionally tolerant of the evils of maladministration. It is, however, possible that, when the new Con- stitution comes into operation, democracy may assert itself in favour of a more efficient and honest Administration. Those parts of the country where the Communists have been active with their propaganda are said to be much more politically alive than elsewhere.
112. In the meantime the change will inevitably go forward, and, if it has the support of the Generalissimo. will make steady, though perhaps slow, headway. There is no question of going back-the foundations of the old order have been too thoroughly shaken for that to happen-the only question is how slowly or fast the new order will grow up. When the new order is established -as it will be the Chinese will be a very different people to deal with from those of the old Imperial days, and the methods of foreigners will have to be accommodated to the new order. It will be a great advantage if this new approach to China is adopted as soon as possible, in order to encourage the development of the new order and to form close and friendly relations with the new elements, who will, in future, be responsible for the government of China and the ordering of her foreign relations. This new approach must be one of co-operation in Chinese reconstruction, not merely to make profits out of China, but from the point of view of playing a part, and necessarily a subordinate part, in the building of a new industrial civilisation. There is already a strong tendency among the more progressive elements to adopt an anti-foreign point of view based upon the experiences of the past and the strong feelings of Chinese nationalism which the war has brought out. It is essential that these anti-imperialist ideas should not be allowed to crystallise into a real antagonism
(") Not printed.
or into the state of feeling represented by the slogan Asia for the Asiatics." The only way in which this can be safely avoided is through foreigners now giving proof, through their actions and words, that they realise the change that is taking place, and that they are prepared to adapt themselves to it.
113. Social reconstruction is also proceeding, but is greatly hampered by war conditions. The greatest efforts are being made in education, as it is realised how vastly important a part the educated Chinese must play in the reconstruction. Special stress is being laid on technical education, particularly in the universities. Many of the universities now situated in Western China have moved from the east, and the courage of the professors and students under continual bombard- ment and with constant movement of their quarters forms an epic story in the history of China's efforts. At Kunming I met one professor who had marched 300 students 1,000 miles during one move and had got them all through without a casualty. The same enormous journeys have been necessary for books, apparatus and fitments, with the result that there is a sad lack of these facilities in almost every university in the west. The transport difficulties prevent the making good of the deficiencies except very slowly, but, in spite of all this, the many principals and professors that I asked assured me that there was no lowering of the standards. The standards of the middle schools and so of the university entrants have suffered considerably, and the entrance examination standard has had to be lowered from 60 per cent. to below 50 per cent. But, although the entrants are thus of a lower standard, and in spite of the bad teaching conditions and over- crowded accommodation, the extreme keenness of the students from patriotic motives makes up for all the disadvantages and maintains the degree standards of the universities. The conditions of living, largely in temporary buildings, both for professors and students, are of the simplest and most elementary, very much the same as military standards on active service, though the feeding is not so good. This applies both to male and female students, the female students being generally about the proportion of 1: 2 to the male students.
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114. So far as the details of the education programme are concerned. I got them from the Minister of Education, who is a remarkable man, though very much a
party man, and in the estimation of many people inclined to be totalitarian in his outlook. I append an extract() from my notes on this interview. Other social services were not much in evidence anywhere, and I gather that all the available supply of energy and materials is being made use of for the army.
115. A considerable effort is being made by the New Life Movement, and some other persons, to deal with the terribly insanitary state of the towns, and Chungking is certainly cleaner than many others. This work is very essential in order to combat disease which is rife in many forms. In the summer months cholera, typhoid, typhus, dysentery as well as malaria, take a heavy toll of life. A great deal of this disease could be prevented by adequate sanitation and cleanliness of houses and food, but a very large amount of educational work will have to be done before any great headway can be made in this direction. Some of the foreign medical missions are doing excellent work in this field, and I cannot praise too highly the courage and fine work of the many missionaries who are now operating in Inner China. They have done everything, including risking and even giving their lives. to protect the Chinese, especially young girls, from Japanese brutality, and the Chinese rightly regard them with high esteem as their devoted friends.
in Yunnan, west
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116. One of the great difficulties is the "black malaria' of Lungling and extending over the Burma frontier almost to Lashio. This comparatively low-lying area is infested with mosquitoes which infect with a particularly virulent form of malaria, which may be fatal within twenty-four hours and which often has fatal relapses. At Lowing factory, for instance. which is in this area, the absenteeism from malaria was 30 per cent. last summer. and when we were there it was the lowest it had been at 15 per cent. with two deaths the day we arrived-this in spite of the most admirable hospital and medical service. A committee of three American research doctors has now gone to the area to devise methods of overcoming this infection if possible. Under existing circumstances this problem is one which is of very vital importance to
(*) Not printed.
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