CHIANG KAI-SHEK APPEALS TO STRIKING STUDENTS.

Chronicle (Levin), 20 May 1947, Page 5

CHIANG KAI-SHEK APPEALS TO STRIKING STUDENTS.

Received Mondajr, 7 p.m. SHANGHAI, May 18. "The money that the Government pavs for your upkeep comes from the toiiing rtiasses, who are in an indeseribable plight, surviving on pitifuily little," declared Marslial Chiang Kaisliek, in a statement addressed to the striking students at 17 Ohinese universities, who are demanding higher food rations, increased Government subsidies, and a change in the curricula, reports a Nanking message; Marslial Chiang said tliat their demands were unreasonabie and excessive. The recent riots and demonstratioiis were the direct work of Communists who had chosen stndentsj as their Iirst iijs^utunpntp ip a -vast pl'ot to destroy order aml seize political power. Marslial Chiang, in giving a wariiing that the Government was contetnplating drastic measures, added: "The Govern ment cannot tolerate disregard of the national interests and riots staged to coerce the masses for the benellt of a few. ' ' The Associnted Press .says that the liigh price of riee, due tQ the continumg inflation of the Government 's ctir rencv, touched off the recent deinon strations, which include liuge numbers of hungfy city workers as well as stu dents. The State Council at an emergency meeting today adopted a series of measures condemhing mass repr'eseiitationf by people 's organisations or students to Government ageneies and limiting to 10 the nuniber of persons who can make appeals. The council ruled that, if students of people 's organisations cause social dis order, block communications, impede Ihe pnblic services, destroy propei'ty or injuve people, "tlie loca.1 authorities may adopt emergency measures to stop these actions effeetivelv." The council also decreed that those who violate the crimiiial law's provi sions should be sent. to Court for trial, The New York Times' correspondent says that. Marshal Phiang's view that students demonstrations were organised by Communists is not shared by many political observers who believe that some of t.lie student agitation was started as a manifestafion of rivalry between the Kuomintang eliques and some sprang from a genuine Ilaring up of student dissatisfaetion " with the stl'ingent livirig conditions.