© 2007 Institute of Current World Affairs
The Institute awards long-term fellowships to develop a deep understanding of an issue, country, or region outside the US and to share that understanding with a wider public.
Institute of Current World Affairs - Home Page

Below is a hobbled text version of a PDF document.
In order to read the actual document please click the link below and register if necessary.
(One-time registration is free and very quick.)
Read article

11/9/1948 - Y.K. Wang; South China Railroad by Albert Ravenholt

AR INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS U S Consul General Canton China November Walter S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York N Y Dear Mr Regers The rebuilding destruction South China Japan going forward irregularly spite civil North The speed which reconstruction proceed future development tackled large extent paced takes railroads again In letter I picture putting railroads together They unique group techical experts usually remained apart politics Y K Wang Deputy Director Chekiang Kiangsi Railroad I found headquarters Nsmchang capital Kiangsi Province He would considered physically among Europeans In large jerry built furniture servea office laugh voice punctuated occasional stutter assistants midgets His welcome ready business without going through verbal formalities common Chinese officials The Chekiang Kiangsi Railroad which Wang rebuilding started through traffic rails It Hangehe southwest through Chekiang Kiangsi Provinces Nanchang Chuchow Canton Hankow Railway south Changsha The kilometers Chinese measurement metric kilometer thirs A branch Nanchang north Kiukiang Yangtze River several small spurs bring total length railway kiloetexs The joins Shanghai Nanking H ngchow network tattered feeder lines north Yangtze River railroads Central South China Original construction Chekiang K completed months after outbresk Japan Within _fter completion destroyed Chinese retreating south Japanese armies Chinese rolling stock rails railroads Kwangsi Kweichow Provinces All Oria wrecked places completely reverted paddies When Japan surrendered August railroa about kilometers track locomotives freight passenger Hangchow where Japanese rebuilt small section supply their troops To Chinese tithe reconstruction their resources looked almost hopeless It until UNR2A offered deliver large quantity railroad equipment rebuilding became possible Wang moved January While superior wrestled Chinese inistry Finance level agencies Wang energies construction He brought assignment railroad gained mostly during He private engineering practice Shanghai where partnership American Japanese attaced After serving inisry Communications Hankow Hunan assigned western division Kwangsi Kweichow Railroad I visited operation relatively undeveloped region several during thewar At Wang really doing His regular maintain operations railroad outside supplies parts years In addition supposeC build railroad hrough roughest mountains China Kweiyang capital Kweichow Province With makeshift equipment eventually graded tunnelled briaged railroad sorts through about kilometers country When Japanese moved Southeast China grabbed Wang division The amount destruction judged locomotives wrecked division Japanese That retreat Chinese their railroaCs except short strchof Lunghai Railroad Northwest Once Wang Chungking where inistry Communications assigned draft plans railroad reconstructio after On V J Dy obvious would before materials vailable Wang Shanghai City Governent restore their Public Works Department The reconst uction colleagues since beginning indicated The simple physical building complicated countless interference civil inflation In July uerican engineering Orrison Knudsen mated reha0ilitation Chekiang Kiangsi Railroad woula require US OO0 worth materials UNP contriDution Wang estimated equivalent about US which small exceptions receivea outsid China It inclhd about kilometers sleeper bridge steel about miscellaneous railroad supplies UNRRA included heavy earth moving equipment Wangd crews other tools usually consiacea essentil railway construction The about three million yards moved Chinese peasants carrying bskets earth bamboo poles In Wang estimation toughest bridge The substructures superstructues completely estreyed cleared before kilometers bridges could The bridge steel sufficient parer crossings The remainder built Wood expected years Steel largest bride rebuilt spans Ka River south Nanchang provided under Canada But Canadian dpndent U S roduction month pushes farher future livery In delay operations Wghasuilt atrainferyatthecrossingnisnoputtinup teporary while concrete piles their steel superstructure The necessary rails above UNREA shipment salvaged countryside huled mountins during They include flimsy pound rails severely limit loads present track UNRR A provided locomotives freight Iran But remainder rolling stock calls scrap They twisted badly burned steel battered coaches somehow rattle through destinations At present carry fraction people goods moved In I hours passengers silled wooden benches aisles pered baggage racks The hekiang Eiangsi railroad needs Aonth Until months small amount coming through Shanghai mines North China That supply ghting railroad would forced cease operaion month utting through Pinghsiang mines western Kiangsi Those mines which I found rapidly being restored thanks again UNRiA equipment provide O00 month The remaining requirements urchases local mines which produce anywhere All hanale baskets shovels huled railroad wheelbarrows The discouraging Central Government building installations stations station masters still Oaboo built paaies The Chinese inistry Ccunications efLicient branch Central Government funds allocation Wang _egues inflation wisped third three fourths original purchasing power It osible budget aintin steady construction Specific started money comes Like technical South China Wang fellow railway running barrier which theye almost powerles remove U A chmce start reconstruction beginning In confident somehow provincisA national government money needed materials labor Bthey means present getting foreign usually United States exchange essen buying nachines parts tools which Without those materials reconstruction eventual industrialization these areas postponed longer willing estimte For moment looking China ission ECA An allocation US works Chekiang Kiangsi Railroad If finally granted permAt Wang track peuns jacks counications similar materials items rolling stock But provide fourth foreign exchange necessary implement American engineers considered needed construction rehabilitation program O several reconstruction rojects South China funas US allocated ECA industrial reconstruction farther toward putting their But rebuilding still start Although ernment organization spirit Wang colleagues their would Co credit private company United States Daring first months after August currency reform Chinese Government refusec Chekiang Kiangsi Railroad permission raise rates informeC railroad there runes available subsidy Ne matter adroitly Wang cohorts juggled accounts couldn available money around To railroad orkers finally borrowed money local banks largely strength their promises In spite tough going still talking enthusiastically about through special Shanghai Cann start their railroad January In talking Wang fellow engineers South China I tried estimate regime wherein Comunists probably majority Wang graduated Cornell University in1929 worked years American before returning China colleagues educated Europe America So their allegiance their Unlike officials Shanghai Nanking afraid future Even Cenunists least peace typical reaction asked weald These reason before dissatisfied Central Government during become isgusted Nanking In explained Nationalist military defeats Those dissatisfied Central Gevernment nearing collapse But I distinct impressien these ebjected government inefficiency demecratic methods They regulatiens coming Nanking increasingly unrealistic insist break regularly starve their their As example difficulties imposed Nanking mentioned qualified young engineers Only university China graduates cnsider acceptable railway engineers large nmbers Chiae Tung University vernment fficials Nanking insist anyene entering railway service first screened pelitical reliability Nene better ified trained graduates Chiae Tung passed railways crucial young second scheols eanwhil reperts filtering threugh Nerth their friends werking mines facteries taken Chinese Communists generally reatd sometimes better opportunity before werko egineers I talked think Cemunists woula ehange their tactics farther seuth China prinkling mperienced techical regime least Engineers Wang veryitle their efferts except satisfaction building A highly skilled responsible plant supervisor salary barely feeds family If future permits oppertunity build leoks questions about pelitical arrangements Sincer AI Ravenholt