CHINA’S STRUGGLE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 8, 5 October 1943, Page 4

CHINA’S STRUGGLE

Three Periods Defined

Dominion Special Service.* AUCKLAND. .October 4. "We know now that China, together with her allies, is going to win this Avar, but the problem is to establish a lasting peace,” said Dr. Lai-yung Li, in u lecture, “China After Six Years ot AVar, which he delivered at the Auckland vV ar Alemorial Museum. “The first three months of the Avar, which commenced in July, 1 Joi, Avert merely a holding period, said Dr. Li. “China was trying to keep the Japanese as near to the coast as possible, so that the bulk of the people and the heavy industries could be shifted to tlie interior. From the end o£ 1937 to the present time, it has been a war of prolonged resistance. We are now’ waiting for the third period, which will commence any time now, when we can hit back and chase the Japanese back home where lie belongs. One of the brighter aspects of the Avar, said Dr. Li, was the success achieved bv the mass education movement. Imghtj ■ fi’ve per cent, of the population of China consisted of farmers, most of whom could neither read nor write. lhe. education movement required ail people between the a-es of IS and 54 to attend classes for four hours a day. Two hours were spent before work in the morning and two lioin-s after work. The aim was. to teach illiterate' persons about 1500 words of the Chinese language, which would be sufficient to enable them to read tietys-n-tners and to express themselves simply. Mobile libraries, films, and radios avow ” Dealing with the rapid industrialization of China. Dr. Li stated that radios were now’ being made so cheaply that even the farmers could buy them. Cement. sulphuric acid, ami fertilizer plant’s had sprung up, and, in addition u) munition plants, there were now over doll maeliine shops. “China wants a better world, and we feel that we have something to contribute to the world in our standard of morality and family structure,” concluded Dr. Li- " China is sending its young people oati’scus to study science and technology. AA<; hope to retain what is good in the out China and to mid what is worth while from western civilization.”