During my visit to England, I
met with leaders in the struggle against Communism and addressed a number of
meetings, including a speech delivered to the House of Commons and an
address to military officers in their training school in Aldershot.
Although it can not be
said that there is a manifest public concern in England regarding the
Communist danger, there are individuals and organizations working
sacrificially to halt the Communist advance. One such organization is called
Common Cause. I was the guest of this group. They lavished hospitality upon
me and gave me many opportunities to speak to them. This groups publishes a
monthly magazine and is active in the struggle against Communism in labor.
They published in England the testimony on "The Communist Mind"
which I gave before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Their major
activity centers on an attempt to curb the power of Communism within the
labor unions. This is a never-ending struggle and their efforts have been
crowned with a degree of success.
A significant
developments in England is a resurgence of Trotskyite Communism. Most of you
know that Leon Trotsky was the co-author with Lenin of the Russian
Revolution. Following the success of the revolution, he was the creator and
commander-in-chief of the Red Army and Foreign Minister. It was almost
universally assumed that, should anything happen to Lenin, Trotsky would
come to power.
In the internal
struggles that followed the death of Lenin in 1924, Stalin emerged
victorious. Trotsky was expelled from all his positions, expelled from the
Communist Party and was eventually exiled from Russia. He took refuge in
Europe where he organized a world Communist movement called the Forth
International. For many years he was pilloried as the ultimate in evil by
the Stalinist Communists, and was finally slain with an alpine ice stock in
Mexico City.
Though Trotsky
personally is dead his movement continues to live. In America the Trotskyite
Communist movement is knows as the Socialist Labor Party. Its members are
active particularly in labor disputes where their skilled agitation extracts
an enormous annual toll from industry. The manager of one large industrial
plant once told me that it cost his firm a million dollars to dismiss one
Trotskyite from their employment. The Trotskyite organized a strike which
cost that amount before it was settled.
The resurgence of
Trotskyite Communism in England is a comparatively recent development. The
revelation of Soviet brutality in Hungary caused the defection of certain
leading English Communists. A number of these have joined the Trotskyites
and are viciously active in English labor.
The Trotskyite
Communists are dedicated to violence and destruction. They are sworn enemies
of constitutional government and freedom. The only difference between them
and the Communists in general is that they do not give total allegiance tot
he Soviet Union. Another indicatino of the danger of Trotskyism is that a
party of Trotskyite Communism is exceedingly powerful in Ceylon and may take
over the government at any time. As Shakespeare said, "The evil that
men do lives after them." Trotsky is dead but his evil genius is very
much alive.
Hong Kong
From England I few to Hong Kong. As the DC 6 B flew in from the China
Sea for a landing, the mountainous terrain was awe inspiring. It seemed most
unlikely that an area of flat ground large enough for an airport would be
discovered. However, suddenly the airport stretched in front of us and the
plane landed safely.
Hong Kong is a small
mountainous island separated by a strait of water from the short,
mountainous peninsula of Kowloon which juts out from the Chinese mainland.
Into this small area three million people are jammed. The available supplies
of fresh water are inadequate, so much so that the hotels provide water in
their faucets for only four hours every day.
Hong Kong is a living
proof that the claim of the Chinese Communists to be the legitimate
representatives of the Chinese people is a lie. It proves that the Chinese
Communists are the oppressive enemies of the Chinese people. Of the three
million people in Hong Kong, one million are refugees from the Chinese
mainland. Their life in Hong Kong is one of extreme frugality. They live in
tin shanties on the hillside and have great difficulty securing the minimum
requirements to maintain life. Yet they have gladly chosen this life rather
than the life on the mainland which Communism provides. Escape is
exceedingly difficult and dangerous; their future as refugees is bleak and
uncertain; yet the terror drives them forth. They creep down to the coast at
night dodging the Communist soldiers and guards, they bribe the captains of
the junks sailing the sees off the Chinese coast, and they hide under masses
of vegetables seeking the haven of Hong Kong.
The imagination balks
at forming an image of conditions so cruel that they cause millions of
people to do this. In America the only places from which people take great
risks to escape are the prisons. China is one vast prison where the
Communist Party is the jailer and the Chinese people are the captives. Those
who have escaped to the privations of Hong Kong are the fortunate few. They
have found a haven of refuge. For how long this haven will remain no one can
say.
It is a sobering
thought to realize that should Communism conquer America, there will be no
place of refuge for which to flee. Life and death in a Communist prison will
be the experience of all.
Formosa
The journey from Hong Kong to Formosa was a very pleasant one in a
beautifully decorate air raft of the Formosan air line, the Civil Aviation
Transport. I was overwhelmed by the reception I received at the Taipei
airport. I have often hear the expression "having the band out to meet
him" but this was the first time I had experienced it. As I descended
from the air plane, my eyes were misted as I observed the welcoming crowd
holding aloft a great banner while the band played. From the moment of my
arrival till that of my departure I was overwhelmed by the hospitality,
friendliness and generosity of my Chinese hosts. General Ming, president of
the Chinese Christian Anti-Communism Crusade, was constantly at my side as I
had the inspiring experience of seeing the true Chinese people in Formosa.
The difference between
Hong Kong and Formosa can hardly be imagines. In Hong Kong, great wealth and
great poverty live side by side. Superb mansions bedeck the hills while the
streets teem with beggars. In Formosa there was no evidence of poverty. No
beggars lurked in the streets stretching out empty hands and pleading for
assistance. Everywhere there were signs of the people hard at work with most
of their needs, if not their wants, provided.
The achievements of
Free China in Formosa are truly remarkable. It is one of the great paradoxes
of history that the Communists conquered the mainland largely by promising
the people the ownership of their own land. Today no individual on the
Chinese mainland owns one square inch of ground whereas in Formosa,
ownership of the farms has become the normal way of life. The government set
the example by first disposing of the land it owned before expecting the
landlords to sell theirs. Ownership of land by the Chinese farmer on the
mainland is a lie; in Formosa it is a reality.
Tremendous progress has
been made in health and education. Malaria has been practically wiped out.
One by one the ancient disease of the East are being conquered. The island
is sprinkled with a network of clinics which today are largely
self-supporting. In these, medical care is available for all.
No one could be long in
Formosa without realizing the tremendous interest in education. There seems
to be a store on every corner and several in each block selling school
supplies and books. Over 90 percent of the children of Formosa are attending
school. High school and university education are flourishing. Today ten
thousand overseas Chinese students are enrolled in the universities of
Formosa. One of the most encouraging develop0ments is that the tide of
students from overseas Chinese communities to universities on the mainland
is receding, and more and more are looking to Formosa for their education.
The attractive mask is being ripped from the face of Communism and the
Chinese overseas are seeing the real ugliness of that system.
A great deal of the
effort in Formosa is directed to the maintenance of their military forces.
The thought of their return to the mainland is ever before them. The danger
of Communist attack exists day and night. Shells still fall every second day
on the island of Quemoy. Consequently their airforce, navy and military
forces are in constant readiness. It is generally acknowledged that the Free
China Air Force constitutes a magnificently trained force.
In spite of all this,
the life of Formosa did not seem to be dominated by the military. American
servicemen were rarely seen. The shops did not cater for servicemen and
tourists but for the Chinese people. I did not enter one shop where the
employees spoke English. I was particularly interested to see an American
style department store with an escalator serving the people in a provincial
Chinese city.
Madame Chiang Kai-shek
has performed a magnificent task in organizing the Chinese Women’s
Anti-Communist League. I visited a large room where over a hundred women
were hard at work at sewing machines stitching garments for the servicemen
and their dependents.
A visit to the school
for orphans established by the league was an inspiration. The school is
located on a beautiful site in the hills overlooking Taipei. Three hundred
Chinese orphans are here receiving education, loving attention, training in
personal hygiene, and spiritual influence. Madame manifests a deep Christian
faith and everywhere I went she was beloved by the Chinese people.
I met and talked
personally with many of the leaders of Free China. These included the
Foreign Minister, the Minister of Education, the Speaker of the Provincial
Assembly, the Provicial Governor of Taiwan, and the Director of the
information military bases. I visited the studios of the Free China
broadcasting service and broadcast a message of hope and love to the Chinese
mainland. The highlight was a personal interview with President and Madame
Chian Kai-shek. The President appeared serene in his position of great
responsibility and his concern for the Chinese people is tempered by a
vibrant faith in their future. No Christian could fail to be moved by the
clear Christian testimony of both the President and his gracious wife.
I left Formosa
encouraged and inspired. I could not help feeling that here was a magnet
that would draw the Asian people away from the seductive siren call. But the
dangers certainly remain vast. The Communists are in control of 650 million
Chinese people and are forging a fearful instrument for world conquest.
Nevertheless, here was a front line which was confident, vibrant with faith,
and unafraid. They are not afraid of the Chinese Communists. They are afraid
that they may be betrayed by their friends and allies. There will be a
bitter harvest reaped if the Free World deserts them now.
It is appropriate that
shortly after my return to the United States I was engaged in a debate on
the question of recognition of Red China by the United Nations. This debate
was held at San Francisco State University. My opponent was Professor Urban
Whittaker of the Department of International Affairs who contended that Red
China should be recognized. I was privileged to express my conviction that
Red China’s recognition would be a catastrophe of very great dimensions,
that it would be suicidal for the survival of the Free World. This was my
conviction before I visited Formosa. It is even more my conviction now.
Letter from Chiang Kai-Shek
"The President of the Republic of China
Taipei, Taiwan
January 9, 1960
Mr James D. Colbert
Christian Anti-Communism Crusade
P.O. Box 890
Long Beach, California
U.S.A.
Dear Mr. Colbert,
Thank you for you letter of November 24, 1959. It was a pleasure meeting you
and Dr. Schwarz during your recent visit to Taiwan.
I have heard a great
deal about the fine work you have been doing. I hope you will continue to
hammer away at the main theme upon which your organization is built, i.e.
that Communism is atheistic in nature, that there can be no religious
freedom under Communism, and that the Communists, be they Russian or
Chinese, sometimes tolerate the existence of churches in areas under their
control to deceived people of the free world.
Above all, I hope you
will bring home to your audiences the truth that the free world cannot
coexist with Communism just as our Lord cannot coexist with Satan. It
behooves the free nations to stand firm and to refuse to recognize the
Communists’ fruits of aggression. Under no circumstances should the free
nations sacrifice principles for the sake of expediency.
If it is at all
convenient, I hope you will stay in touch with Dr. George Yeh, our
ambassador in Washington.
With the Season’s Greetings,
Chiang Kai-Shek"
India
During a recent trip into many of the strategic areas of the world I was
having breakfast on tiny Wake Island. The island is in the Pacific Ocean
approximately 2300 miles due west of Hawaii. I was on my way to Tokyo. At
the breakfast table with me was an Indian Industrialist and his wife from
Calcutta, India. During the conversation he said to me, "India doesn’t
want communism but India might go Communist because of our poor and hungry
and ignorant people." "Indian Democracy is a mockery," he
added. I asked, "Why?" He explained, "Because the poor and
ignorant masses of India do not vote with understanding but as they are
told." This is the frightful situation which I witnessed first hand in
India. India is divided according to the major languages into fourteen
states. There are three states in which the Communists are driving forward
with relentless efforts to capture and control. These three states are now
the prime target of Communism. They are the states of Andhra, Bengal and
Kerala. The Christian Anti-Communism Crusade, through your thoughtful and
dedicated gifts is supporting Indian national projects and workers in two of
these states – Andhra and Kerala. We are doing nothing in Bengal. Bengal
is where Calcutta, the largest industrial city of India is located. It is
contiguous with East Pakistan which is already under Communism.
In Kerala we are
supporting evangelists, a Christian Magazine and a major newspaper. These
are separate and distinct works but all contribute effectively to the cause
of God and freedom. I was deeply impressed and elated over the work being
done in both Andhra and Kerala. Because of limited space and the importance
of the newspaper in Kerala, I will only comment on it.
The newspaper is called
KERALADHWANI, interpreted, it means "The Voice of Kerala." It is
an independent national newspaper. I was overwhelmed at the size and
potential of the newspaper’s operation. It is really big business. It is
distributed by bus, train, truck, jeep, van, boat, bicycle and by foot.
There are a few anxious moments as the staff tries to meet the deadlines for
transportation. To give you an idea of the scope of its operation, George
Thomas who heads up KERALADHWANI was the only publisher of a newspaper in
Kerala who sent a reporter to New Delhi to cover President Eisenhower’s
visit with Mr. Nehru. He newspaper covers International, National, and local
news with a splendid spiritual content included. KERALADHWANI is the fourth
largest newspaper in Kerala. It could have the largest circulation in a
short time with adequate equipment. The largest newspaper has 70,000 daily
circulation and has been established seventy years. The second largest has
60,000 daily circulation and the third largest has 32,000 daily circulation.
They have been in existence for 37 years and 48 years respectively. The
fourth largest is KERALADHWANI with 27,000 daily circulation. It has been in
existence for only four months. It could easily have a much larger
circulation now after only four months if we could supply sufficient funds
for a Rotary Press, which would give a far greater printing capacity. This
would cost approximately $20,000.
The public demand for
the paper is much more than anyone anticipated. While I was in Kerala,
George had to reluctantly turn down each day some requests from agents all
over Kerala to buy and distribute the paper in their area. These requests
have continued and George has had to continue to put the agents off until
some future date. This hurts George very much but it is just a case of
inadequate machinery not being able to meet demand.
The overwhelming demand
for KERALADHWANI is the result of the merit and outstanding quality of the
newspaper. It covers the spiritual, social and political aspects of life
with many columns devoted to practical suggestions to help solve the peoples
personal and daily problems. The people are willingly sacrificing two rupees
a month to subscribe for the paper because of their great interest. And you
can be assured they read every word of it. In India an educated man is held
in high esteem and is greatly respected. George has received his Doctor of
Philosophy degree from the University of Washington in Seattle. Now he has
returned to his native India and as a publisher he is considered a master, a
learned man and a teacher. Add to these reasons the providential arrangement
of God and you have the answer to the outstanding public acclaim and
enthusiastic reception of the newspaper. This creates an unique opportunity
and situation in which we must not fail.
Publishing the
newspaper is not without problems. This is its inception period and it is a
most difficult period financially. It will require greater sacrifice on our
part as donors for the next few months. It also will require the enlistment
of new donors if the paper is to succeed. Briefly stated, the monthly
expense of publishing the newspaper is $13,500. We have only been able to
send $5,000 a month to George. This amount with an equal amount earned
through the sale of the paper do not together pay the whole bill for the
month. There is a deficit of nearly $3,500 monthly. Some of this has been
defrayed by special gifts, but not nearly all of it. Some of this financial
burden will be alleviated after the paper has been established for six
months. After six months the Government of India will grant an import
license which will enable George to buy newsprint at almost one half the
present cost. This should almost take care of the deficit each month. In
addition the government will then advertise in the paper assuring an added
revenue. George is praying and I am hoping that many will strengthen our
hands so that we can send more financial help during this crucial interim
period of the next two or three months. While I was in Kerala with George,
during December, each day, towards the end of the month was a financial
crises and placed intense pressure upon George and the staff. From one day
to the next George did not know where he was going to get the newsprint to
print the newspaper for the next day. I would ask, "George do you have
the newsprint to publish the paper for tomorrow?" He would answer
hopefully and yet weighed down with disappointment, "Not yet but God
will provide." This day to day financial crisis goes on each month
after the $5,000 from America is expended and until we can send another one.
I fear that KERALADHWANI could "fold up" during this crucial
period of the next few months unless we can send more financial aid. I am
hopeful that after a few months the paper will be self supporting and in the
future be able to support some of the national workers in Kerala.
Kerala is the state
that was under Communist control for forty-four months. The elections take
place again next month. The Communists have been for months campaigning
diligently. George and the one hundred and three member of the staff of
KERALADHWANI have been an outspoken voice against them. George is laboring
in the very shadow of imprisonment and death. Should the Communists win the
elections, George would stand trial and be found guilty of being a traitor.
In spite of this possibility, George is heroically taking a strong
Anti-Communist position. I met an American of diplomatic stature at the
Madras Airport. He was stationed in India. He was on his way to New Delhi on
the eve of President Eisenhower’s arrival. He said without solicitation,
"George Thomas is the best friend America has in India." This
could be true. I don’t know. But this I do know, KERALADHWANI is making a
great impact for God and freedom. It is a modern day miracle. The destiny of
India is important to America. Can you help? Will you send a gift, large or
small today?
TAPES
The debate of Professor Urban Whittaker was
recorded and tapes are available for those desiring them. Write to Mr. W. P.
Strube, Jr., P.O. Box 6422, Houston, Texas.
This tape will serve as
a very good companion tape tot he recording of the debate at Harvard
University with Otis Archer Hood, Chairman of the Communist Party of
Massachusetts. Many have already written in for this tape, but many more
should do so. The cost of these tapes is five dollars each. The potential of
tape recordings is limitless. There are now 300 tapes available in our
library. You may have the very finest speakers brought right to your home.
ANTI-COMMUNISM SCHOOLS
Excitement grows as the opening of the
Milwaukee School for Anti-Communists draws near. The school is to be held
February 9-13 at the Pfister Hotel. There is still time to enroll. This will
be the finest school yet. Send in your name at once. Attendance at these
schools is an experience that should not be missed.
For those who find the
journey to Milwaukee too great, we are happy to announce that it will be
followed in March by an Anti-Communism School in San Francisco. The dates
will be March 15-19 and the location will be the Whitcomb Hotel. This is a
preliminary announcement and schedules and enrollment forms will be
available later. However, enthusiasts may enroll now.
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