Mister Big Cannon

Late one night last week, four Chinese Nationalist cops strode into the shabby living room of Kung Teh-pai, editor of Nanking's National Salvation Daily (circ. 15,000). Without a word, stubby, rugged Editor Kung, who has well earned his reputation as China's most outspoken editor, reached for his hat. After 25 years of writing what he thought -- and eight previous arrests -- Kung knew what to expect. He told his wife: "You can reach me at the prison." The day before, Kung had written a long, angry editorial accusing retired President Chiang Kai-shek of "manipulating" the Chinese government from "behind the screen." Unless Chiang "goes abroad," wrote Kung, "the nation and the people will be ruined." Some Chinese had said this privately; no other editor had dared to publish it. For three days Kung sat in prison. Released, he promptly wrote an editorial defiance of his late captors ("I am always in the literary prison").

Over the years, politically independent Editor Kung, whose readers call him Ta Pao Hsiensheng ("Mister Big Cannon"), has fired at an impressive variety of targets, often in terms far beyond occidental ideas of press freedom. His most abiding hates have been the Japanese, the Chinese Communists and Kuomintang corruption. It was Editor Kung who started the criticism that helped sweep Finance Minister T. V. Soong out of office (in 1933), and his attacks have helped unsettle at least three cabinets. Two years ago, David Kung, son of former Finance Minister H. H. Kung and nephew of Madame Chiang, was accused of illegal financial manipulations. Editor Kung's (no kin) shocking headline: DAVID KUNG MUST BE KILLED TO STABILIZE THE PEOPLE'S HEART.

Last April, during China's vice presidential elections, Kung cannonaded: "The election of Sun Fo to the Vice Presidency would be a confession of nationwide corruption." The next day, two truckloads of thugs wrecked the National Salvation Daily and put nine staffers in the hospital. Kung lost only one day in getting his paper out on borrowed presses.

Despite his criticisms, the Nationalist government recognizes Kung as a powerful foe of Communism, and until recently distributed copies of his paper to Nationalist troops. If the Communists ever catch him, Kung is sure that they will kill him. But he does not intend to spike his editorial cannon. Says he: "Chih su pupien [unchangeable until I die]."

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