Iron Glove v. Soft Mitten

In Moscow, Foo Ping-sheung, China's ambassador to Russia, pondered a telegram last week. It announced his appointment as Premier Ho Ying-chin's new foreign minister. Asked if he would accept, Foo said: "Wouldn't it be like jumping into the fire? ... I think people live longer in New Zealand."

While Foo debated where to go, Premier Ho and the rest of his cabinet picked five men to carry Nationalist China's peace hopes to the Communists. As nominal head of the delegation they named General Chang Chih-chung, former governor of Sinkiang Province and commander of Nationalist headquarters in northwest China. A close friend of China's No. 2 Communist, General Chou Enlai, he was the only important member of former Premier Sun Fo's cabinet the Reds failed to tag as a war criminal. Another member: soprano-voiced Shao Li-tse, a former ambassador to Russia.

Red reaction came quickly. From Peiping, instead of its former station in north Shensi, the Red radio* crowed that Communist Boss Mao Tse-tung, his secretariat and the party's Central Committee had moved to China's ancient cultural capital. Peiping had officially become Communist China's No. 1 city. Here, the voice of Red China continued, five Communist leaders would meet on April 1 to discuss peace terms with the Nationalists.

Chief of the Red quintet that will face Premier Ho's delegation is Chou Enlai, Mao's eloquent first lieutenant. Backing him up will be General Yeh Chien-ying, Communist army chief of staff and now mayor of Peiping. When he took office in February, Yeh told Peiping's municipal workers: "I often make mistakes and I welcome correction. But I would not welcome it chalked on the toilet wall." Other Red delegates: General Lin Piao, conqueror of Manchuria; Lin Po-chu, chairman of the Communist Shensi-Kansu-Ningsia border government; Li Weihan, Communist party whip and negotiator at Marshall mission conferences two years ago.

At week's end, a Chinese newsman sized up the two peace delegations: "The Reds are offering an iron glove, the Nationalists a soft fur mitten."

* With its new station, the Communist radio acquired new techniques: women announcers were replaced by men, musical interludes of native songs gave way to Chopin.

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