CHINA IS SUBJECT Of U.S. CONCERN

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5320, 5 February 1947, Page 3

CHINA IS SUBJECT Of U.S. CONCERN

SER10US PROBLEM J HOW TO RECONCILE CONTRARY FORCES. A "rcund-up of recent American publications shows that' the drift in China is beccming less a topic for snap judgments or emotional inquests, and is entering the field of serious intellectual research. American univeisities and international institutes aro fcroadening their curricula to give the China problem the live significaiice it notv demands, writes Petcr Russo, Far Easterh editor of the Argus, Melbonrne. One""of the mosi careful analyses cf ihe .suhject to appear recently tvas made by John K. Fairbank, Associate Professor of History at-Harvard. Professor Fairbank, well known Sinologua and student of international affairs, citcs the dilemma that confronts Ame-ric-a in China: "How to foster stability^ without baeking reaction; how to choose between authoritarian extremes of Communism and incipient Fascism; how to nuture in a haekward eountry both the economic well-being which only a «trongdy centralised control can ensure, and the individual freedom which goes with representative government and civ.il liberties; how to reeoncile Socialism and Libralism. ''The establised regiine which we recogrise (the Kuomintang) is incompetent'to give the mass of individuals economic security, and in seeking to retain power is also averse from allowing them politieal expression. Alternatively, there is danger that if a new authoritarian regime (the Chinese Communist Party) wins support by giving the individual economic security, it might end by withholding from hhn politieal li'berty." • There could be 110 more penetrating srmmary of the obstacles which are continually nullifying American policy in China. It explains also why the efforts of the American peace team in China have degenerated into a Sisyphean exereise, making little impresslon on either antagonist. Above all, "America's dilemma," as indicated by Fairbank, gives warning ihat unless an acceptable compromise can be effeeted relations between the Governments and the peoples of Ameriea and China will deteriorate rapidly. The American formula, laudable as are its aims, has necessarily bred resentments among great numbers of Chinese of all politieal inelinations.

I11 the i'aee of these growing embroilments should America heed the general outcry and let the Chinese fight it out themselves? Ten or 15 yeais ago this questicn might have aroused hot controversy on a flat hasis of ycs or -no. To-day tliere may be argumer.t about the methods of promoting American policy in China, but qualined American students cf the problem are. unanimous 011 the point tluit what happens in China can vitally alfect America. There can he no complete American withdrawal without sevio.'s danger to American security an.i interests. Where these expert American appraisals differ from early offieial policy is in their insistence that America should in future develop and maintain contacts vvtih all major parties in China, not only with the recogr. ised Governmeni. For oxamule, American univer-ities sh-Hdd devtdoj) direct contaet with and lend the mosi aciive support lo leading i'junos.. univeisities, ircluding the ;'?w which are growing r;> in Communist aieas. Students shoulu he exchanged \vi;h aH areas. FurUiermore, American relief s.upplies and technical and financial assistance should go where they are mo-t needed. regardless of politics. America is, of course, committed to supjjorting the Kuomintang Party, not only i'or legal reasons, hut also for i'ear that if it collapses Rc.'ssian infiuenco in China might supplant American. The summing up,'then in terms of these authoi'itative studies, is that America should endeavour to influence the Chinese revolrtionary movement in her proper interest so that it will not subordinate China to a foreign Power, and will not surround itself by an iron curtain which cuts off contact.