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Interview with Marshall Chang Hsueh-liang.
Hankow June 20th 1935
Gareth Jones The anti-Communist
fights have been a great success and have been applauded.
Marshall The Communists are bandits. We have broken the main body.
Some of them remain in bandit gangs scattered here and there.
We have put 7000 Communists into
reformation. They are however very desperate for they fight for their
lives. They are afraid of returning to their villages for there the
villagers who know them would kill them. Thus we have to settle them
far away.
Our grip over Szechuan will increase as
time goes on. Not only have we our military force there, but also they
are spreading their ideas of unification.
In Kivenchow and Yunnan it is the same.
Jones In Canton there is opposition
to unification. Will the building of roads and the Hankow and Canton
railway be a help to unification?
Marshall Yes, it will mean the spread
of ideas also, and a cultural link with the south.
Jones What means have you in mind to
extend the grip of the Central Government to Szechuan?
Marshall We are going to build a
railway south of the Yangtze, through Changsha to Kweichow and then up
to Szechuan.
We are going to build motor roads.
Jones What are you doing that the
south shall be military minded? I was in Changsha and the youngsters
said that they wished to enter military institutes in order to fight
Japan. This tickled the Marshall and he seemed pleased. We believe
in stress upon military training in order to strengthen the character of
the young Chinese in general education.
Jones Has the Japanese aggression
made any change in the policy of Central Government, ie of co-operation
towards the Japanese?
Obviously a brick, rather embarrassed
Marshall replies coldly in Chinese and Consul translates I could reply,
but that is a question on which I would rather not speak. Silence,
then laughter.
Jones Has the Nanking Government any
plans for state industry? In every country in the Far East I have seen
advances of State Socialism.
Marshall We have the National
Economic Council which is going to consider plans for new industries,
including State Industries.
Jones Do you lay great stress on
aviation?
Marshall Yes, there will be a new
route to Szechuan. My second son is going to be an aviator and is
exceedingly keen and will have long years of training. I have my own
aeroplane and I am keen on flying. (Ford Monoplane)
Jones - Mr Matsuoka said that China
would in this century be filled either with Bolshevism from Russia or
with the spirit of Japonism. What do you think of that?"
Marshall with scorn Do you think that we, a nation with 4,000
years, will disappear in such a short period as a century.
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