Whither Chungking?

The speaker was remarkable--the president of China's Legislative Yuan, Sun Fo, moderate, democratic-minded son of China's revolutionary leader, Sun Yatsen. The speech, delivered before the Kuomintang, was even more remarkable--an appeal to the Chungking Government to abandon its rightist position and pursue a more leftist policy.

Said Sun Fo:

"Chinese politics cannot be divorced from the main current of international thinking, which is toward democracy and liberalism, against which stand fascism and autocracy. Our enemies are the opponents of democracy. The democratic world is veering to the left and we shall have to keep in step with the world."

The Great Error. Sun Yatsen, said his son, had always been a revolutionary leftist.

"His followers were naturally of the left. Those who stood in the way of progress since the founding of the Republic have been the war lords, the old mandarins and feudal elements that remained.

"After the Northern Expedition of 1926 there was internal dissension in the Party, culminating in the movement to expel the Communists from the Kuomintang. To oppose the Communists, we opposed the left and identified ourselves with the right. This has been the great error committed by our Party.

"From our initial mistake we have developed reactionary tendencies for the last decade. After the expulsion of the Communists, and in order to guard against 'outsiders,' we have even stifled democratic institutions."

Back to Revolution? "The most important task for the Party is to bring about real democracy within China. We must get off the wrong track and turn back to the left. . . . We must . . . proclaim ourselves with pride as true revolutionaries."

Dr. Sun noted that commentators in Britain and America have voiced doubts regarding China's democracy.

"These critics seem to sense the undemocratic elements in our midst. It is their conviction that for the future peace of the world fascism and tyranny shall not be tolerated in any country and that democracy shall prevail.

"Without political democracy in our country it will be difficult to bring about an ideal industrial economy. To obtain foreign funds we must first win the confidence of foreign countries."

But the foreigners had bad luck in developing Japan. "With this lesson in mind, the Western powers, in their desire to help China's national reconstruction, will wish to assure themselves that China would not become a potential enemy to them in the future. Japan, they would figure, has a population of 70 million, yet so much effort and sacrifice has been called for in order to defeat her. China has a population of 450 million souls, which may be increased to 600 million in thirty years. If China then threatens the democratic world, how much more strength would be required to cope with her?

"But modern China is founded on the basis of the Three Peoples' Principles [Dr. Sun Yat-sen's program]. This country has by tradition been friendly to her neighbors and has always been a nation of peace. Such apprehensions of Britain and America, are, of course, baseless. Nevertheless, we should clearly show our democratic ways so that we shall enjoy the confidence and support of our friends and allies and dispel their doubts and suspicions."

Communist Competitors. "If China does not hasten to complete her democratization, her industrialization will not be achieved. Without industrialization there will be no national reconstruction. Without national reconstruction the revolution will have failed. Failure of the revolution will mean the Party has not fulfilled its mission in history.

"Responsibility for this task must be shouldered by ourselves. Today the Communist party is in opposition. If we do not go forward, they will. . . .

"I remind you again that our Party had its beginning in revolution. Our Party is of the left. For the last decade we have led our national revolution against our political opponents on the right. In short, we shall have to adhere to and develop leftist political thinking so that we shall bring to fruition the hopes of the national revolution."

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