Most Critical Period

Last week Foreign Minister Wang Cheng-taeing (C. T. Wang), able Yale graduate, gloomily summoned reporters to his Nanking office. "The next three months, gentlemen," said Yale's Wang in fluent, accentless English, "will be the most critical period in the diplomatic history of China."* Reasons for Foreign Minister Whang's forebodings were: 1) Fortnight ago, just as China was settling down to a period of comparative calm, General Chang Fa-k'uei, leader of the efficient, modernized "ironsides" division of the Nationalist Army, suddenly revolted, marched his men south through Hunan Province to join the southern rebels of Kwangsi, who have defied the authority of the Nationalist Government since last May. 2) Encouraged by thoughts of the well-armed "ironsides" division, six other Nationalist generals joined them. 3) General Ho Ying-chaeing, one of President Chiang's most valued assistants, suddenly resigned from six important government positions in the Nationalist Government "to attend the funeral of his father." Foreign Minister Wang's gloom was slightly alleviated late in the week when loyal Nationalist troops succeeded in checking the advance of Chang Fa-k'uei, and the " General Ho announced that he did not mean to resign permanently, he merely wanted two months' leave of absence in which to bury his father with due ceremony.

* Fundamentalists believe that Noah's Ark landed on Mount Ararat in 2105 B. C. Chinese believe that their diplomatic history was then beginning under the H'sid dynasty.