Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0806, 1946-01-06.

Author Supreme Commander for The Allied Powers. Allied Translator and Interpreter Section.

Date6 January, 1946

translation numbereditorial-0641

call numberDS801 .S82

Persistent Identifier
GENERAL HEADQUARTERS
SUPREME COMMANDER FOR THE ALLIED POWERS
ALLIED TRANSLATOR AND INTERPRETER SECTION
PRESS TRANSLATIONS
No. 641 Date: 6 Jan 46

EDITORIAL SERIES: 806

ITEM 1 Communists Play an Important Part in Making China Democratic - Youmiuri Hochi Shimbun - 4 January 1946. Translator: H. Furukawa.

Full Translation:
CHIAG Kai-Shek, the head of the Chinese Government promised in his broadcast on 1 January of last year to engage only in constitutional politics, and he announced again in his broadcast of 1 January this year that he would be willing to invite the leaders of every group and representatives of other parties to held posts in his Government. He also stated that both the Kuomintang and the Communist forces should be united under the same Government in CHINA.
It was made clear by these statements that both the Communists and the Kuomintang, the two largest parties in CHIHA, are making their way toward democracy, seeking the exercise of constitutional politics and the establishment of a united Government. They are at odds, however, on ore point. The Kuomintang urges the prior dissolution of the Communist forces and local governments, while the Communists advocate the immediate establishment of a united government.
The difference between them, there, are, lies only in the difference of their methods for attaining the same object. Considering the American view as judged from President TRUMAN's statement and the future results of the efforts to be made by the newly-arrived ambassador to CHINA, 'General MARSHALL, it may be expected that the democratization of CHINA will be attained be adjusting this conflict between the two groups. At least, it is evident that the political situation in CHINA now has prospects for a bright future.
It should be noted that the Communists have played a very important part in the realization of Chinese democracy. The conflict between these two parties so far should not be considered mainly as the result of Communist tactics aiming at the division or the introduction of war in CHINA. The Communist campaign should rather be considered as one through which the real democratization of CHINA can be attained along with the establishment of a modern CHINA.
In former times, CHIANG Kai-Shek often insisted that the revolution in CHINA could be fulfilled only under the dictatorship of the Kuomintang. Against this opinion, the Chinese Communists, pointing out that the Kuomintang was a party of financial magnates and never represented the interests of the asses, said that a democratic CHINA could never be achieved by means of a kuomintang dictatorship al was. It may be concluded from this Communist view that the insist on the immediate establishment of a. united government.
EDITORIAL SERIES: 206 (Continued)
ITEM 1 (Continued)
The recent policies of the Chinese Communists do not aim to Sovietize CHINA by a proletarian dictatorship. MAD, Tse-Tung indicated this tendency in his latest work "On the United Government". He stated that future Chinese history should be made by measures suited to Chinese circumstances. This means a special type of democracy, completely different from that of SOVIET RUSSIA. For this purpose, he insisted, a united government, namely a government composed of the representatives of the various democratic parties, is required. Social conditions peculiar to CHINA, he points out, mean the survival of many semi-feudal and colonial remnants.
For the present, he said that the development of modern capitalism by means of bourgeois democracy is of urgent necessity, and the immediate establishment of a Communist state is a mere illusion. As is shown by the above, the policy of the Chinese Communists is very realistic. Therefore, if one thinks that the policy of the Chinese Communists is a policy of agitation or a means of Communist revolution, he may be said to be ignorant of the real facts or is exaggerating intentionally the propaganda of the reactionary parties.
Before JAPAN'S aggression in CHINA, the Chinese Communists had already decided on their policy which called for all the anti-feudal parties to combine with each other in the establishment of a united government in order to promote a bourgeois democratic revolution in CHINA. The Chinese Communists were successful in unifying the fronts against JAPAN, and regarded an anti-Japanese policy as indispensable for the democratization of CHINA.
During the period from the war in CHINA to that in the Pacific, the Communist theory had dominant influence upon the policies of the Nationalist Government. This fact will surely occur to us when we consider the [illegible]and [illegible]carried out by the Nationalists, and the effect of arguments by MAD, Tse-Tung against dilatory tactics and the new democracy of them. As to the recent problems such at the constitution or a united government, it was the Communists who took the [illegible]. In modern Chinese nationalism which sucks to democratize CHINA, and in the recent democratic movements in CHINA, the Chinese Communists played an important role without [illegible]this the democratic tendency in present day CHINA cannot be understood and our Chinese policy cannot be carried out properly.

ITEM 2 A Self-sustaining Food Program for Students - Tokyo Shimbun 4 January 1946. Translator: H. Arai.

Full Translation:
Since the number of students who go to school without carrying lunches with them has increased, lessons have been given only morning, and a considerable number of national primary schools and middle schools have been closed all over the country. Now every student who is pursuing his studies in cities will have to return to his native place on account of the food shortage. In addition to the charges for board, and lodging, he is required to furnish [illegible]or three sho of rice a month. Considering the present difficulty of communication alone, it is evident that one cannot long [illegible]ply with such a demand.
In order to tide over the present situation, the [illegible]authorities asked at the end of last year that every student cultivate an area of 20 tsubo and raise wheat, sweet potatoes, and vegetables to provide food for himself. According to this plan, the estimated production of sweet potatoes will be about 28,000,000 kan; barley, 240.000 koku; wheat, 170,000 koku; and vegetables, 28,000,000 kan. Each student will be provided with 450 calories for his lunches.
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EDITORIAL SERIES: 206 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
However, such a good crop poses many difficult problems concerning land, farm tools, fertilizer, and so forth. Apart from country schools, it may not be easy to obtain arable land in cities. Although there are many burned-out vacant sites in cities, trouble between school authorities and landowners will probably occur. Moreover, oven if the authorities obtain a suitable area of arable land in suburbs, it would be very difficult for every student to work there because of the present state of transportation facilities. How can he carry fertilizer to his plot?
This plan will remain ineffectual without providing for these details. If the plan does not work well, it will be impossible for every student to have 450 calories in his lunch. Therefore, all schools except colleges in cities must be quickly removed to local districts. As for classical schools which need no particular facilities , factories or barracks in local districts can be transformed into schoolhouses.
If this is done, it will help to solve the population problem in cities, and also aid in solving the land distribution problem. We hope that the authorities will carry this plan into effect immediately.

ITEM 3 Neighborhood Associations of Little Value - Asahi Shimbun - 4 January 1946. Translator: S. Inoue.

Full Translation:
The neighborhood association has never transmitted the wishes of senior members to juniors, or vice versa. This might have been due to the complications in Japanese politics and, consequently, caused great inconvenience to the daily lives of the people. The president of the town assemblies were so haughtly as to force their members to perform physical services without any consideration for their domestic problems. They arbitarily stopped distributing daily necessities and exhibited favoritism in the recent distribution of military clothing. The neighborhood association is of no use at all today. It is hoped that the authorities will abolish the system and ease the burden of the people. (Letter sent by Mr. ISHIDA, Masao. IBARAKI-Kea, a farmer).
DISTRIBUTION "X"
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