Why the Name of Democracy Memorial Hall Should Not Be Changed Back to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Part II

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Friday July 10, by Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

This is the continuation of the letter of K.W. Dowie. It is one more testimonial on the brutality imposed on Taiwanese by the late dictator Chiang Kai-shek and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). It is not an isolated incident but rather one of continued, innumerable cases of suffering and murder from that time. Despite that, there are still those who want to change the name of Taiwan Democracy Hall back to that of the dead dictator. Only the sickest of authoritarian minds would want to do so, but those sick minds still exist in Taiwan. For those Taiwanese who have short memories just scroll down to my entries of March 13 on about Kuo Kuan-ying, Diane Lee and the KMT leech that has always been at Taiwan's throat. (The letter continues here.)

One of those arrested you may know or know of, Lien Tong. I often heard your parents speak of him. He was called out by the soldiery on some trumped up charge of collaboration and was unable to understand the language spoken by the soldiers. One of the school teachers (Lien Tong I gather was the School Principal) came out to act as interpreter but was promptly shot down. When I left Taipeh it had not yet been established whether or not Lien Tong still lived. Replies to enquiries said he had been taken to Keelung for Trial, plus the suggestion that another principal be obtained. Looks grim.

The students who maintained the peace in the city were asked to return the arms loaned them for that purpose and were then liquidated. About 20 were executed a short distance along the Tamsui Rd. west of the Mission College.

After one mass killing at Keelung the bodies were taken out to sea and dumped. The tide turned and brought them back into the Harbour again. The Chinese version which is the one that reached the outside world was: Communist elements had been eliminated.

Outwardly today the Formosan is subdued but inside there is a burning rage which will flare up again. They won't take it lying down. Their despair is pitiful and they can only trust the United Nations Council to get them out of their dilemma. They cannot give voice to their feelings or they would be picked up and rubbed out; they therefore have to rely entirely on the efforts and support of people outside the Island, and its up to them to raise such a Howl and keep it up until the United Council do take notice. Otherwise the Formosans are doomed to a life of oppression and subjection.

  1. The Formosan is genuinely eager that the Island come under U.N. Mandate.
  2. The chaos, corruption, and maladministration which led to the disturbance demand a U.N. investigation.
  3. An investigation would reveal the disgusting state of affairs under Chinese rule and it's their job (U.N.C.) to see that they are remedied.
  4. The remedy would be simple, granting all of Formosans the right to vote for what form of Government they desired and 98 per cent would vote United Nations Mandate and the U.N.C. would be rewarded with the everlasting gratitude of 6,000,000 world citizens.
  5. Any expenses incurred would gladly be refunded. Under proper government the island would become economically solvent in a very short time with its surplus of coal, gold, sugar, rice etc.

Now I suggest that when you have digested this you go to town and pass on to anyone you know the state of things in Formosa and form a committee or party to champion the Formosan cause. You probably know lots of people who are interested in Formosa and its people and who would gladly join in crusade to lift these pleasant industrious people from their present hell. It will require constant and relentless punching at the U.N. thro all and any channels to accomplish this aim. (The letter ends here.)

After he left Taiwan, K.W. Dowie had mailed this letter for Mr. and Mrs. George William Mackay who because of censorship could not get it out. The principal, science teacher, and gym teacher of the Tamsui Middle School all died in the aftermath. Their bodies were never found; most likely they were thrown into the ocean off of Keelung. As for UN intervention it never happened despite such news coming from the island.

We thank Michael Stanton, research specialist on George Leslie Mackay at York University for providing a copy of this letter.