The most important affair in the month of September was Free China's flare-up of indignation at the San Francisco Conference. Free China was irrevocably excluded from this conference. People's organizations both in Free
China and abroad were sending protests to President Truman before and during the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference. On September 1 one hundred and eight public bodies in Free China sent urgent cables to the Chief Executive of the United States, filing last minute protests and appealing for US heed to Free China's inherent right to the treaty. They said Free China has every right to participate in the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference and branded the exclusion as a breach of the international law and the UN Charter.
Chinese organizations in the Philippines, Hongkong, Tokyo, Rangoon, Jakarta, Bangkok and elsewhere also made last minute protests against the discriminatory exclusion of Free China. Beginning from September 3, seven Chinese-owned radio-systems and Chinese newspapers in the Philippines staged a radio and paper publicity campaign for, six days in addition to mass rallies.
On the evening of September 6, Foreign Minister George Yeh issued a statement to refute John Foster Dulles contentions made in the San Francisco conference that the exclusion of China from the conference was the best method to achieve temporary harmony.
He said: No amount of apology, however aptly put, can serve to justify the inadvertent encouragement given the aggressor through the exclusion of the Republic of China from the San Francisco conference. It is grim irony that the US government which leads the Free world in the fight against the Communist aggression should on this important question have sided with the few nations that have given recognition to the fruits of Communist aggression."
On the other hand, Senators and Representative of the US Congress received a message from the 469 legislators of Free China on September 5. The American legislators were requested:
1. To make last-minute efforts to help invite the Republic of China to the San Francisco Conference; and
2. To help work out at an early date a Pacific security system which should include Free China, so that peace and security might be maintained in the Pacific area.
II. Free China and Japan
On September 11 Foreign Minister George Yeh revealed that Free China is willing to sign a bilateral treaty with Japan and that conditions of such a bilateral treaty will have to be on the same terms, accorded by Japan to Allied signatories at San Francisco.
"Japan owes to all Allies the same obligation to conclude a treaty of peace," Yeh said. "China as one of the Allies can only sign a treaty with Japan upon such terms. It is responsibility of the sponsors of the treaty to see that Japan should end the state of war with her former enemies."
"Although we are in consultation with the US government on this question," the Foreign Minister said, "this government has as yet had no discussion or contact with the Japanese government on the question of a bilateral treaty." "We will not go to Tokyo begging for a treaty. It was Japan that was defeated, not China" he added,
On the other hand, Lieutenant General Ho Sai-lai, Chief of the Chinese Mission in Japan, returned to Japan on September 15 after two weeks' stay in the capital of Free China. Gen. Ho was believed to have received instructions regarding a new approach in handling Sino-Japanese affairs because of the changed status of Japan as result of the signing of the peace treaty in San Francisco.
Regarding the report that Japan was intending to send a trade delegation to Free China, Foreign Minister George Yeh said on the following day that Free China would welcome the early arrival of such a delegation. But he added: "No official request from Japan for entry visa has yet been made.
It is the common hope in Free China that a reborn Japan will be a symbol of China's common goal of democratization, peace and independence. The people of Free China are looking forward to the restoration of friendship and mutual well-being with the Japanese people.
III. Chinese Armed Forces Under Intensified Training
Major General William C. Chase, Chief of the US MAAG, revealed on September 10 that the program of the MAAG is being gradually expanded and that its purpose continues to make the Island of Taiwan impregnable against invasion.
General Chase said the United States realizes quite well that Taiwan is strategically very important to the overall Pacific defense and that by making Free China’s armed forces strong enough to repulse all attacks, the United States is forging stronger defense armor in the Pacific.
General Chase declared, "Our job here has been from start to help Free China's forces. We are still advising and assisting them in maintaining and operating equipment."
The MAAG Chief reiterated that one of the newest phases of the program-amphibious training-was for intra-island operation. General Chase pointed out there is out one north-south railroad on this Island. "If the railroad should get cut in the first phases of any attack, amphibious operations would be sole means left to the defending force from one put of the Island to another."
The general said there are presently 225 men comprising the MAAG’s personnel. He further said he and his staff are continuing to get the highest cooperation from both the people: and the armed forces of Free China.
IV. Water-works Construction
Governor K. C. Wu left Taipei by piper cub for Tainan on the morning of September 11 to officiate at a ceremony marking the completion of the water-works in the Chiku salt ground, Tainan county.
Chiku is one of the six salt grounds in Taiwan. Although it is lying-by the sea, it has no fresh water. Up to now the drinking water of the Chiku people has been drawn from shallow wells or from roofs. In case there was drought, they had to go to, Chialicheng which is nine kilometers away to get fresh water.
About 12,000 meters of pipes have been used and about TWS1,100,00 government funds have been spent for the construction of the water-works at Chiku, but as a result the problem of drinking water for 15,000 inhabitants is thereby solved. From now on about 937 cubic meters of fresh water can be sent each day to several localities and each inhabitant can get 16 gallons of fresh water in average each day. This is really a blessing to the water-thirsty people at Chiku.
On the morning of September 17 Governor K. C. Wu again flew down to central Taiwan to officiate at a ceremony marking the accomplishment of a million dollar irrigation system at Tachu, Changhwa county. On the following day the governor proceeded further south to inaugurate the Touloh dam works and attend a ceremony held in honor of the soldier laborers who were swept away by mountain floods during this spring's disaster at Chiao-lintang.
With the completion of the two and one half mile Tachu drainage, thousands of hectares of land will be freed from the threat of flood during the monsoon season while another thousand hectares will be irrigated through waters from the project. Work for the sewage started two years ago.
The Touloh dam is located in Yunlin county where sandy ground and a muddy river called Tsoshuichi have seriously affected farming.
With the dam completed, the water will become clearer while mud will be turned into sandy fields or arable farms.
Governor K. C. Wu also addressed a huge gathering at Touloh. He contrasted the ways of the former Japanese rulers and this government. He said the former held up all the construction projects during the World War II, but the government of Free China goes ahead with construction work despite the difficulties of the present time. That cannot but mean this government is working for the welfare of the common people.