CHINA: My Soul to the Devil

China's foremost scholar, Dr. Hu Shih, has observed that his country's Red regime allows neither freedom of expression nor freedom of silence. What he meant was plain last week at a "self-accusation" meeting of students and teachers of Peking's famed Yenching University (TIME, Feb. 26). Professor after professor and pupil after pupil stood up to confess the blackest sin in Communism's book: pro-Americanism. Among the breast-beaters:

History Professor Nieh Chung-chi: "I once signed my name to an open letter asking for American aid to China . . . Now I realize that I wanted to assist Chiang Kai-shek in murdering the people of China."

Language Instructor Huang Chi-chung: "I studied in two American missionary schools, and served as an interpreter for the American Army. I wanted to be an American, and I was greatly pleased when people said I resembled an American. Such is the evil influence of American imperialist aggression."

Sociology Professor Chou Ching-yao: "I used to assign English books to my students, and always wanted my students to go to America . . . This was a most serious crime."

Professor Chi Szu-ho: "I, too, once asked for American aid to China. I now realize my mistake in taking our enemy to be our friend."

Student Li Ping-ning: "America contaminated my moral thinking with such books as How to Win Friends and Influence People and Short Cut to Success."

Student Shen Yu-sheng: "Before liberation I read American pornographic periodicals, movie magazines and novels about psychological perverts . . . If it had not been for Chairman Mao and the Communist Party, I would either have sold my soul to the devil or taken my life."