servatives and a large part of' the American people., Recent articles from the United States by Chinese newsmen (of the Kuomintang's off'icial news agency) emphasize the Allied suspicions of' Russia's motives. The Generalissimo in recent talks has dwelt on the supposed frictions between the United States and Great Britain and Russia, and the machinations of the Russians in the Far East. Other important gures in the government, inciuding HO Ying-chin and T. V. Soong, have expressed great coacern over Russia's evil intentions. The Vice Minister of Foreign Af'f'airs in remarks to Chinese newspapermen (made off the record) has tried to blame Russia f'or blocking the shipment of American supplies to Ohina through Sinkiang. Kuomintang holders of this attitude may believe that the interests of China will be served by a demonstration of Russian "imperialism" in Asia similar to that in Poland and other countries of Eastern Europe. This demonstration will supposedly have a good effect on foreign opinion regarding such questions as the Kuomintang-Communist conf'lict. It can likewise, and for the same reasons, be hoped that it will weaken the position of' the Chinese liberals most of whom are friendly toward Russia and proChinese Communist. 4. The Government seeks an opportunity to rally Chinese nationalism and to provide a diversion of' attention f'rom failings in other directions. This follows naturally from the third point mentioned above. If' things are not going well at home, (which is very def'initely the case in China at present), there can be nothing better than finding a f'oreign scape-goat toward which to divert attention. The Government has sought to give a boost to national morale by making much of the recovery of Sinkiang and the plans for the development of the whole Northwest; now it Can claim t'hat this is threatened by Russia. If the Chinese. Communists and Japan can be brought into the picture, so much the better. Worthy of' note in this connection is the apparently sudden emergence of rumors of a Soviet-Japanese -5- |