Political Etiquette

Chiang Kaishek, Nationalist China's 84-year-old President, seemed aghast when it was first proposed to him that Vice President C.K. Yen, 66, resign his added post of Premier and that the generalissimo name his own son, Chiang Ching-kuo, 62, to fill the vacancy. Would that not, the Gimo demanded, be unseemly? Would it not seem to be the beginning of a dynasty?

Actually, Chiang's demurrers were an expectable bit of Chinese political etiquette. He has, in fact, been carefully grooming his son to take over Taiwan's top job some day. Last week the national assembly routinely confirmed Chiang Ching-kuo as Premier. In that job, nongovernment observers hope, he may have the clout to carry out his promises to 1) attack the bureaucratic inefficiency that has tarnished the island republic's record of progress and prosperity, and 2) bring more native Taiwanese into the government. No one, though, doubts that the generalissimo will still have the final say on major decisions, as long as he remains alive and capable.

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