RECOGNITION OF CHINA

New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 792, 24 September 1954, Page 16

RECOGNITION OF CHINA

Sir-It is a pity that "Lubber’s Point," who castigates Margot Ross for the opinions expressed in her Lookout

talks, does not use his leisure to read more widely than he obviously does. Most of his remarks are prejudiced, and some inaccurate. He speaks of "Red China’s aggression in Korea,’ but the facts show that China did not intervene until her own power stations on the border were bombed. He speaks of her "barbarous cruelty," attributing it to the fact that she is a Communist country, but he should realise that throughout the ages China’s attitude to physical cruelty has been totally different from that of the European peoples, and that Chiang Kai Shek’s adherents use the same methods. He should read Rene Cutforth’s book Korean Reporter, an objective account of a BBC reporter’s impressions while travelling about Korea, and note the disgust expressed by English troops at the tortures and cruelties perpetrated by their South Korean allies. "Lubber’s Point" speaks also of "ageression" in Indo-China, where facts declare that China did not intervene in the civil war until after America began giving active aid to the French forces. As for Malaya, there is no scrap of evidence that China is taking part in the guerrilla conflict in that country. . This is not in any way condoning Communism as such; but logically, if it is right to recognise the present Government in Guatemala, so resently established there by armed. revolution against an elected government, then the same excuse cannot be used to deny recognition to the Communist Government in China. His suggestion that China should "turn to the improvement of living standards of her own people" is belated, as responsible reports show that much has already been achieved in this matter. In accusing Margot Ross of emotionalism, the writer has overlooked the beam in his own eye.

NOUS

VERRONS

(Roxburgh).