Crackdown

Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek tightened up his Government in a threefold move last week.

As directed by the recent Kuomintang Congress (TIME, June 4), the Kuomintang Standing Committee ordered the abolition of all Party branches in the Army and schools, and the popular election of all provincial and district People's Councils. When & if executed, these orders would mark the end of one-party tutelage and the beginning of constitutional democracy in Free China.

In a move to check corruption in handling military supplies, a five-man military tribunal sentenced to death three high officers in the Chungking supply service: Major General Liang Lin (former mayor of Changsha), Major General Huang Yao, Colonel Pao Yunfei. Liang was convicted of "stealing military materials and of squeeze and extortion." Huang was convicted of receiving 4,100,000 Chinese dollars ($205,000 official rate) rake-off in purchasing military supplies. Pao had made 1,400,000 Chinese dollars from a building contract. All three were shot.

At the same time the Ministries of the Interior and Social Affairs cracked down on the press. New, strict regulations forbade Chinese newspapermen to write anything against the interest of the nation, required all Chinese newspapermen to join Chinese press associations, which are supervised by local representatives of the Ministry of Social Affairs. The press associations must adopt resolutions to spread national policies and the late Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles: Nationalism, Democracy, People's Livelihood.

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