Word: chiangs
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Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek said: "This is a very important time in our united struggle...
When Hankow fell three years ago the warlords grudgingly permitted Chiang Kai-shek to establish his national capital at Chungking in their Province. Chungking's first big bombing in May 1939 gave Chiang an excuse to establish control of that city and eastern Szechwan. Gradually he brought his own armies into the Province, thrust his appointees into provincial posts. He forced the warlords to send troops to the front, while his own men cracked down on opium bootlegging, main source of the corrupt warlords' revenue. By last year Chiang was so firmly in control that he could install...
...warlords still opposed Chiang. During their 30 years of rule they had seized and bought the best lands. As landlords they controlled the marketable rice on which the cities and armies of Chiang Kai-shek depended. They collected their rents in rice, but paid land taxes in inflated money. They hoarded the rice, which helped to force prices higher while men went hungry...
Last spring Chiang made his decision. He would nationalize the land tax. Landowners would pay taxes, not to provincial governments, but to the central Government. More important yet, they would pay, not in paper money, but in kind: in rice, wheat, hard grain. With the collected foodstuffs the Government would feed its armies and civilian employes. Inflation and hoarding would be struck a blow at the same time, especially in Szechwan...
Daddy's Job. To collect, store and distribute millions of tons of grain was a job for a big man. Chiang turned it over to the big man who does most of his big jobs: his moon-faced brother-in-law, H. H. ("Daddy") Kung, Finance Minister and Vice Premier. In June Dr. Kung, who dearly loves to address conferences, herded together an earnest conclave of 250 local officials from all over China, fed his sweltering delegates lemon pop, tea, cake, pastry, explained the law, sent them home. All summer from dawn to midnight, in Chungking's offices...