THE SOONG FAMILY 149 



"T. V. Soong represents an honest and energetic liberalism. As minister of 

 finance, in less than two years, without any important increase in taxation, 

 he multiplied the resources of Kwantung Province by twelve. Although 

 his uncompromising honesty made enemies, he earned the reputation of 

 being the most capable administrator in Chinese life." 



T. V. Soong is not a revolutionist, but an honest and capable business 

 man who wants to help China, and he certainly stands out like a tower of 

 strength among the corrupt politicians of his country. 



Soong Tse-Liang, the second son, is likewise a graduate of the Harvard 

 School of Business Administration. He has traveled in Europe, was director 

 of the Department of General Affairs in the Ministry of Railways, and is 

 now a managing director of the Whangpoo Conservancy Board (a technical 

 organization), and a rising light among the business men of Shanghai. He 

 has also been Minister of Foreign Affairs. 



Soong Tse-An, the youngest brother, has studied both at Vanderbilt 

 University, where his father studied theology, and at Harvard. But he, 

 too, studied business and is a director in the salt administration. 



Soong Ah-Ling, the oldest daughter, was educated at Wesleyan College, 

 Macon, Ga., and is married to Mr. Kung Siang-Hsi, a descendant of Con- 

 fucius and one of the richest men in China, owning a chain-store system of 

 general shops, produce-purchasing agencies, and small banks. He has 

 been Minister of Industry and Commerce under the Nationalist Govern- 

 ment. He does not take kindly, though, to politics but prefers to serve his 

 people through the improvement of commerce and public charity. He is 

 the most characteristically Chinese member of the family and his contacts 

 with Chinese life are so numerous, that the saying, "Dr. Kung is everything 

 in China," has become current in his country. 



Madame Kung has inherited from her mother a special capacity for hard- 

 headed common sense; she is an excellent hostess and a devoted mother of 

 her two boys and two girls. She is quiet and unassuming but of a superior 

 intellectuality. Owing to these qualities her advice is sought not only by 

 members of the Soong family, but by friends and other relatives. Her in- 

 fluence has not been altogether without guile, for she has used her great 

 ability to promote the interests of the Soongs, but always in a meritorious 

 way. 



Soong Mei-Ling is the third daughter; she was, like her sisters, educated 

 at Wesleyan College, Macon, Ga., but spent some time at Wellesley Col- 

 lege, Mass. In 1924 she met Chiang Kai-Shek, then a humble officer, in the 

 home of her sister, Madame Sun. A secret romance developed between the 

 beautiful and charming Mei-Ling and the handsome and capable Chiang. 



