Big Noses

The Nanking Government, always ready to take a poke at its enemies, the Chinese Communists, is more cautious about provoking the big Communist bear to the north. Last week the bonds of caution snapped.

Before the People's Political Council, advisory body to Chiang Kai-shek's Government, impetuous, energetic Pan Chaoying, director of the influential Catholic Social Welfare newspaper chain in China, let out an anti-Russian blast. Thundered Pan: "According to the Sino-Soviet Treaty of 1945, China and Russia should respect each other's sovereignty and territory. But Russia hasn't kept her word. . . .

"Responsible authorities [in Manchuria] say that Soviet pilots and artillerymen have been in action with Chinese Communist troops . . . Russian soldiers of occupation have been guilty of terror and rape--more than can be told. The Manchuria lao pai hsing [common people] told me: 'Everything lao pai hsing won't do, the Russian ta pi tzu [big noses] have done.'

"I urge the Government: 1) to take action for the quick recovery of Dairen and Port Arthur; 2) to petition U.N. for the return of Russian loot from Manchuria; and 3) to declare null & void the Sino-Soviet treaty."

Yeh Shu-tang from Szechwan chimed in: "We must be strong, not weak. If someone offers us a friendly hand, we should clasp it warmly. But if someone slaps us, we should slap back twice."

The watchful Russian Embassy, near Nanking's Drum Tower, heard the hot words and the enthusiastic applause. An Embassy subscriber visited Pan's Social Welfare Daily, asked for five copies of the issue carrying Pan's speech. Asked why he wanted so many, the Russian replied: "Oh, for our public libraries."

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