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The government's call for more "volunteers" to fight in Korea had failed dismally. Rather than risk government "persuasion" to join the army, many young men, particularly in the south, had taken to the hills. Last week, Peking announced it was launching a six-month-long, nationwide drive for money to buy war materials. The "volunteers" in Korea, warned government spokesmen, were in desperate need of more tanks, more guns, more cars, more clothing, more drugs. In a carefully detailed directive, the vast Resist America and Aid Korea Committee outlined the contributions that would be expected over the next six months from all Chinese. Contributions in gold, jewelry, dollars or any other foreign currency were called for. "Wealthy individuals" were especially ordered to pay up; workers were urged to increase production.
All these signs pointed to the fact that the Korean war had proved an expensive venture for China. Last week, as General Marshall once again dropped in on Chou En-lai's side of the world to pay a surprise visit to the Korean front (see NATIONAL AFFAIRS), rumors of cease-fire filled the air in Western capitals. They were given added impetus by a recent Chinese republication of a 1937 essay by Mao Tse-tung underlining the fact that a revolutionary leader must be able to switch policies at a moment's notice according to changing circumstances. Mao's lieutenant, the resilient Chou, had long since proved his ability to about-face. But if he and his comrades wanted a truce in Korea, they gave not the slightest indication of it. Peking last week sounded as warlike as ever. Cried the Red radio: "Those of us who are fighting for the preservation of our country from those insane and evil men . . . are by no means disheartened . . ."
If Red China's masters chose to hang on in Korea, they could undoubtedly do so. The price: more suffering for China's people.