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Chen for his part learned a good deal (perhaps too much) from the Communists. Last week, bright brown eyes glistening sharply, he told TIME Correspondent Frederick Gruin: "The Communist Party uses every human being as a working tool. It has no standard of humanity. . . . From questioning why people embraced Communism we derived countermeasures. We re-educated some to the truth of Chinese civilization, thus winning back their allegiance to the motherland. We stressed moral education. We tried to re-establish family life more satisfactorily. We gave the poor technical training, to better themselves and thereby lessen their envy of the rich. . . ."
Firm in his Confucian belief in the necessity of social harmony, Chen is convinced that what he most hates in Communism is belief in the necessity of the class struggle: "Communism in China will fail because it creates an atmosphere of suspicion and distrust within the family." Chen says he is not opposed to Socialism. He points to the Three People's Principles of Sun Yat-sen—San Min Chu I—nationalism, democracy and livelihood for the people. To him, the "People's Livelihood'' principle means, one day, social insurance, free health services and schools everywhere; no concentration of capital or land ownership; more cooperatives; key industries owned by the state.
The nearest counterpart in the West of Chen's interpretation of San Min Chu I? He answers: "The evolutionary program, of the British Labor Party." This is only half true. Chen is certainly against capitalist free enterprise, which he would regard as too individualistic, competitive and disorderly. But his Socialism contains little of Herbert Morrison's regard for personal liberty or Morrison's preoccupation with economics.
Perhaps the blackest mark on Chen's blue mandarin gown is that his anti-Communist obsession has, in fact, made Communists. So heavy is Chen's hand on all unorthodoxy that many youths who might have taken a middle course choose Communism's extreme instead of Chen's.
Thought v. Thought Police. During six years of war (1938-44) Chen ruled Chinese schools as Minister of Education. He supervised the big task of moving schools and universities from the coast to the interior, away from the Japanese. But while Chen encouraged practical subjects (a country at war needs engineers), he cut down on history, economics and politics. His advice to students: study-quietly and make no trouble. Extracurricular activities disappeared, except for Chiang's San Min Chu I Youth Group, a movement for training the young in hsiao and cheng, and in such un-Chinese pastimes as swimming. The Education Ministry started a bureau to "guide the thoughts and control the actions" of students, abroad as well as at home. When criticized for using "thought police," Chen made a distinctly totalitarian reply: "Any Chinese who violates the Three People's Principles violates common interests in the war of defense, students being no exception."