Back From Far East Levin Man Sees No Danger Of A Russianised China

Chronicle (Levin), 20 August 1949, Page 4

Back From Far East Levin Man Sees No Danger Of A Russianised China

t • " • • TT^^- ' * t * That the Chinese people — ^Communists or otherwise — would neVer voluntarily accept Russian domination Was the view put forward by Mr. J. Cormack, of Hokio Beach Road, Levin, during an interview with a "Chromcle'^reporter yesterday. .. , With some 14 years' life in the Far East behind him, and close association.with all classes and creeds in China, Communists included, Mr. Cormack leans to a belief that the control of the Central Chinese Government by the Communists might be the best thing for that country's future economy. The Chinese Communists might be using some of Gommunist Russia's methods at the moment in order to gain their ends, but he could not visualise their continuance after stability had been reached.

Mr. Cormack bases- this belief i on the fact that the Chinese have 1 a natural abhorrence of foreigners, i and to them Russians are foreigners. There were no Russian ad- i "visors or technicians working with i the Chinese Communists as they ; had refused to accept them, he ' added. He denounced as a "bogey" i any -suggestion .that China would i allow Russia to take over its manpower and Use it for its own ends. 3 •'That will never happen," he said. ; The Chinese Communists were merely putting into operation the "programme of Dr. Sun Yat Seh, founder of the Chinese Republic, which the Nationalist Government had failed to do, said Mr. Cormack. Under the old system there : was no 'enf orcement of the collecting of takes. Government offlcials bought their positions and were paid no wages, existing by extracting large sums of money by pressure or "squeeze." This system was evident right throughout the country from the ' highest official to the lowliest, and even to the ordinary soldier who was never oaid wases.

The Communists' first action was to deal with "'squeeze" methods with a heavy and relentless hand. Taxes were imposed and collected. Government offlcials .were appointed to positions and paid a salary. [f it was suspected that an official was receiving large SUms of money over and above his salary, an inquiry was instituted. "If he was fdund to he adopting 'squeeze methods' he did- not live much Longer," said Mr. Cormack. It was as simple as that. Those on the inquiry panel were, in the case of an official, other offlcials, and In the case pf an employee a group of local residents. Discipline had been infused into the Communist Army, . unheard of in the Nationalist ranks, and soldiers were discouraged from looting. If it was necessary to take anything from the people a fair price was paid for that article. Opportunity For A1L The soldiers of the Communist Army were also paid wages. In general the Communists were puttin'g 'into effect the principles of land reform, the collecting of eeonomic taxes and giving an opportunity for all, which was a very good thing for China. He believed that the Chinese should be left to work put their own destiny, continued Mr. Cormack. - It would be a diffieult enough job for them. In reply to a question as to whether the Communists could control China once they had established themselves, Mr. Cormack said that he could not see any one government remaining in control because of the same old basis of hatred and contempt for foreigners. In China even nationals living in another part of the country were regarded as "foreigners." The only solution might be a series of governments throughout the country, responsible to one central government, which could maintain outside contacts and make an over all policy. Commenting on the Unrra supjplies which h^d .heen ppin&cL ihto 'China fbllowing the world war; Mr. Cormack said it was a wasted effort as it never reached the right people, but was sold freely in open markets. He felt very strongly on I the fact that New Zealand butter could be bought by the ton at half the price of the same commodity

in the Dominion. Very little of the supplies reached 4nlahd, where it was most badly needed. Of Corso supplies he had a much different tale to .tell. NinetyQine per cent. of these supplies' passed through Hong Kong . and were handled by foreigners from starb to finish. "It was shipped direc-tly iiito inlaiid ports and believe" me it is needed there," said Mr. Cormack. "Corso is doing good work, but the aid is not big enough or sufficient to cover the whole country. I saw the results of one Chinese famine and I know what it means. "The Chinese live by rice alone-. It is just their nature and you will never change them, although if China changpd to a meat diet it could produce sufficient. for its own requirements , and those of the world. As it is, if- the rice crops f all the whole province starves, while literally 50 -per cent. of its lands, good pasture country, lies unused as it is unsuitable for rice crops." The Gallant Amethyst. "Fof the Affiethyst to run the gauntlet of those two strong forts and get out in one piece is some-. thing I/still marvel a't," said Mr. Cormack when commenting on the Yangtze River incident.. Only seamen of Britain's mettle would have attempted it, he added." "It certainly was some feat of navigation. I know the area well and the two forts strategically placed to control a narrow channel were. put there for the sole purpose of preveriting ships from getting in or out if necessary." The guns were kept in perfect order and they. had the range down to- a yard, continued Mr." Cormack. His first reaction to the attack had been— "Why was the Amethyst -there -at all when Britain must have known that large seale military operations were about to be launched. They were - simply asking for trouble. The principal reason for the second attack on the Britisli ship, he * thought, could be put down to that o.d Chinese custom of a fear of losing face. ' Face was. a bigi.thirig in China,' b'igger than mosfc' fdr- " eigners realised, and it was a blg blow to their prestige to have the ship escape. Once they had opened fire they would have to contine to preserve that o'ne thing — face. For the same reason it was necessary for Britain to pour reinforcements into Hong Kong. Having been victorious in their mareh through China, the Communists, if faced with only a few hundred British soldiers defending Hong Kong, would have to continue otherwise htpy would lose, continue otherwise they 'would lose' would be watching their every move. Mr. Cormack, whose experiences in the Far East were the subject of an article in yesterday's "Chronicle" was a wireless operator on ships of the Moller Steamship Company trading around the Pacific and North China Coast and was later wireless superintendent for the company in Shanghai. He -wss in a Japanese prisop camp f olowing tfief otitbreak" of the Pacific War, being subjected to special ill-treatment for his part in reporting Japanese troop movements and manufacturing radio • sets for Chinese guerrillas. He reeently addressed the Levin Rotary Club.