Aug. 27.
General Chiang Kai-shek stems to have been rewarded for his! patience and conciliatory attitude toward the two Kwangsi generals. He has not met defiance with threats, but rather by an appeal to reason, allowing the strength of his material position to speak for itself, No doubt, the situation was complicated by the interpretations: placed on the sudden variation of, the Plenary Session's plans for the two lenders. General Chiang Kaishek must have felt some personal embarrassment in that the.announcement of the new posts offered to them—albeit made with the best intentions—gave rise to the suggestion that the executive] was attempting to override the considered decision of the properly constituted party organ. It may now be surmised that General.
Chiang Kai-shek, appreciating the qualities of the two leaders, sincerely desired to afford them scope for further service to China and yet to solve the difficulty of permitting the simulacrum of the: warlord system to continue in Kwangsi, Public opinion generally was not prepared to view the matter in that, perhaps, progressive mood, Old habits persist and it was widely suspected that General Chiany Kai-shek—and the col-Jeagues who supported him—were well aware that the Chekiang post could no more be assumed by General Pai Chung-hsi than the' high place on the National Military Council by General Li Tsung-jen. It was roundly averred that an error of judgment had been committed, Without stultifying himself or in any way receding from the position that a bona fide offer had been made, General Chiang Kai-shek quietly faced the threat of resistance in Kwangsi, He knew, of course, that the big battalions were on his side, but he also realized the seriousness of a situation which compelled him to apply that argument, In making his dramatic reappearance in Kwangtung after ten years' absence, he was anxious to avoid external complications of the already complicated problem restoring Kwangtung's currency and financial equilibrium, Hostiliti with Kwangsi might have into posed an unwelcome obstacle to the Central Government's—proposed measures of relief, which will ap-Parently include the issue of a domestic loan, As soon as he arrived in Kwangtung General Chiang Kai-shek made it clear that he was ready to advise the Central Government to show the almost consideration for the views of the two leaders. His position was by no means easy for, frankly, General Pai Chung-hsi, at Toast, made no secret of a bitter personal.animosity inspired by, memories of his former association with the Generalissimo, On all grounds It is regrettable that so] able_an administrator and soldier as General Pai Chung-hsi should not be able to overcome his sense of grievance. The world over, Jealousy and affronted amour propre become awkward luxuries if too freely indulged by the aspire ing statesman or politician. Opinions often differ regarding the merits of men and measures, but! the verdict of the event has frequently to be accepted without more than a passing sigh of regret} for "the perversity of human destiny. However that may be, both General Li Tsung-jen and General Pai Chung-hsi command even from their critics the respect due to men who have more interest in the efficient performance of their duty than in their personal enrichment. This quality has been generously recognized by General Chiang Kai-shek in the considerate treatment accorded to their wishes.
'The compromise which has, it understood, been reached' with every prospect of acceptance involves the retention of General Li Tsung-jen in Kwangs! and the Jéelegation of General Pal Chung-Inst on a temporary mission overseas, General Feng Vu-hsiang and General Ho Chien, the Governor of Hunan, have lent their good Mees to the reconciliation. They have done well and the General~ fssimo has once again shown his capacity for realist treatment of a situation and his large-minded dis~ regard of petty notions of prestige. He 1s the bigger man for having] used his strength sparingly.
With the Kwangsi problem on the way to solution, the Central Government can now turn to the important task of preparing the ground for the forthcoming session the National People's Congress which has to ratify the draft constitution. General Chiang Kaishek is believed to be impressed by the need for making the occasion of real value to the Government's relations with the country. He has already made tentative efforts to give the administration a broader basis. In particular, the association of @ few Ron-political businessmen with feertain commercial departments thas been a marked success. Of, General Chiang Kal-shek's personality there is no need to speak: it has written itself large on the current history of China. Every-tone hopes that it will continue to bbe available to complete the work which has been so well begun and 0 forcefully tackled. Yet there is Some disquiet lest too heavy. a burden be thrown on the Generalissimo's admittedly capacious shoulders, He is credited with the Intention to endeavour—even if it entails ignoring party labels—to bring Into the Government new blood and definitely approved capacity. He has consistently dis claimed the desire to assume the role of dictator, although in many emergencies he has been compelled to exercise quasi-dictatorial powers. His attitude is wise, for whatever may bathe needs of other countries, China is not likely to be best served by a system which depends for its stability so exclusively on the strength, health and—absit omen—existence of one man. Admirers of General Chiang Kai-shek would! {eel happier if he could be relieved of anxiety for the fate of the administration and of the achleve~ ments which it has managed to re~ cord, in the event of his disappearance from the scene. The fervent wish that the contingency may be remote is not incompatible with prudent provision for a situa tion. which might otherwise be fraught with great danger. General Chiang Kai-shek, as the chief ngure {na Central Government which is more truly a Central Government of China than any in the twenty-five years of the Republic's troubled history, has now an opportunity of consolidating—ay—enhancing—his reputation by preparing the ground for an administration really representative of the best talents available for service to the people of China,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.