Counter Revolution

CounterRevolution

Atop the bubbling scum of Chinese civil war, events crystallized and clarified remarkably last week, standing forth sharp and definite: C The U. S., Britain, Japan, France and Italy stood together on their Chinese policy for the first time in many months and all transmitted to the Chinese Nationalist Government at Hankow identical demands for reparations in connection with the incident at Nanking (TIME, April 4), when Chinese killed several Occidentals but were quelled by a U. S. British bombardment.

P:Immediately the Chinese Nationalist Foreign Minister Eugene Chen replied to the five identical sets of demands with five different notes, promising each of the Powers a different degree of concession to their demands. Only to France, which has carefully preserved her neutrality in China, did Mr. Chen send a really unequivocal note of compliance. Toward Japan, Italy, the U. S. and Great Britain he indicated progressively smaller degrees of willingness to make reparation for the damage they alleged. Soon statesmen of the five Powers were explaining to their publics that Mr. Chen's trick is an old one which has often succeeded in sowing jealousy and discord among Allies.

P:While Foreign Minister Chen and the more radical Nationalist politicians were busy replying to notes at Hankow, the Nationalist Generalissimo, Chiang Kaishek, suddenly called a meeting of conservative Nationalists at Nanking. They voted to impeach the whole Nationalist Cabinet at Hankow on the ground that it is "Red," sparing only Foreign Minister Chen. Him they dubbed "misguided but loyal to Nationalism." C This keen blow by Chiang Kai-shek lopped off the Communist faction of Chinese Nationalism which has fattened at Hankow on Russian support. Overnight the Russian "adviser" to the Nationalist Government, Michael Borodin, went into hiding, "vanished." Then the seven principal district "generals" administering Nationalist territory pledged allegiance to Chiang Kaishek, declaring him the true political descendant of the late, revered Dr. Sun Yatsen, "Father of the Chinese Republic." Only three district generals repudiated General Chiang, stigmatized him as a traitor.

P:These events had the following apparent effect: 1) Chiang Kai-shek became de facto Nationalist Dictator, and can face the Powers as a proven foe of Communism. 2) The replies of Foreign Minister Chen to the Powers are likely to become dead letters. C Because all these developments came so pat to the satisfaction of Great Britain, the French press began to hint that the British have bribed both Chiang Kai-shek and the great War Lord of North

China, Chang Tsolin. It was a remarkable fact that while Chiang was busy with his impeachment congress at Nanking the troops of his "enemy," Chang, ceased all activity against him. Not improbably, gold (from whatever source) may be the bond of understanding between Chiang and Chang.