The Reconstruction of China.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16364, 8 November 1918, Page 6

The Reconstruction of China.

Recent news from China is of extraordinary importance, although likely to attract , little attention, in view of the all-absorbing interest of the great war, and we have a significant cable message to-day to - remind -us that the Allied Powers are watchful of their interest', in-; the great Asian republic. We cannot afford to neglect what :is taking . place in a country whose -inhabitants number one-fourth. ofthe population. .of the globe, and whose is intimately • bound - up with

what many thoughtful statesmen consider to be the next great problem to be faced—the problem of the pacific. It is very gonerally known that" for , some time past China, which is one of our Allies, has been distracted by civil 'war, and on thi3 account, no doobt, prevented from giving us that, active assistance which her leading men would like her to render. It is not so generally understood that the conflict has been between a military autocracy controlling the Government at Peking, and a Democratic Government, which has 'been seeking foreign recognition at Canton. Largely owing to Japanese influence, it is the former which has hitherto been recognised by the Powers, hut latterly it hag apparently dawned upon the Allied Powers in Europe that they may have been putting their money on the wrong horse. A week or two ago it was reported that the Allies were mediating with a view to the restoration of peaco between the North and South, and later we learned that the Peking Government has asked the Southern Government to arrange for a peaco conference, and tho Southerners have proclaimed an armistice. To-day. wo are told thafc in a Note to the Government tho Allied legations have set forth the neglect of China to fulfil its duty to the Allies, and expressed disappointment that tho country has wasted its revenue on internal strife instead of developing its industrial resources. "Wo fancy tho intervention of the Powers must have been brought about by the remarkably able manifesto addressed to them in August last by Dr. "Wu Ting-Yang, ..Minister of Foreign Affairs, "on behalf of the Constitution- " alist Government of tho Republic of " China." Ib is supposed to have been drafted by his son, Wu Chao-Chu, a very brilliant barrister-at-law of Lincoln's Inn, from which Inn his father, was also called to the English Bar. According to this statement the real cause of the civil war was tho militarism of the Northern military party, with General Tuan Chi-jui at their head. The immediate cause was the illegal dissolution of Parliament. When Germany commenced unrestricted submarine warfare in February, 1917, the Chines© Government, having then as its President Li Yuan-hung, as Prime Minister Tuan CJhi-jui, and as Foreign Minister "Wu Ting-fang, first addressed a protest to Germany, . and later broke off diplomatic relations with her. Parliament was consulted when the latter step was taken, and the majority in both Houses in favour of it was about three to one. By the time that the question of the declaration of war against, Germany was referred; to Parliament the suspicion was widespread, according to the manifesto to which we have referred, that the Northern militarists were not "envisag"ing the question on its own merits,. " that, they were contemplating the use "of jhe opportunity to consolidate "and "extend their own power, and infln- - '' ence, and that the assistance, financial, military, and inoral, which it was "expected the Allies would accord to "China when she entered tho war would be. turned for the purpose not of "active pursuit of warfare against •" Germany, but the furthering their "own selfish ends." With the complicity of Tuan, it is alleged," tho military party sent "a large mob of "vagabonds and street ruffians" to the House of Representatives "to clamour " for war, to assault some of the mem- " bcrs known to be averse to it, andjin " fact besiege the House for several " houfs from 'early afternoon until late " in tho evening while the police looked "on and did nothing." The President having dismissed General Tuan from office the latter, it is asserted, stirred up the Military and Civil Governors of the different provinces to mutiny. Peking was practioally > besieged .. when : General Chang Hsun, known for his continued' loyalty to the Manchu Court, became the spokesman of the military party, undertook to mediate between the two 'forties and, in effect, demanded the dissolution of Parliament. President Li gave way under ,the pressure of the militarists, .and signed the decree of dissolution, thinking thus to avoid, bloodshed and case the situation, but contrary to the advice of, tho Acting Prime Minister, 2>r. Wu Ting-Fang, who refused to countersign the decree and resigned.

Subsequent events, as the manifesto remarks, "defied imagination,'.' Chang Hsun arrived with ' several thousand troops in Peking-, and in one night restored tlio Manchu boy Emperor, and made himself the first Minister. The militarists, however, immediately turn-, ed against him. Tuan marched against him with an army, defeated some • if. his troops in two skirmishes, forced Chang to saek refuge in a foreign legation, and entered Peking as conqueror. Ho had himself reappointed Premier by President Li, but the appointment was invalid because it needed the confirmation of Parliament/ President Li then vacated office, and Vice-President Feng Kuo-Chang succeeded as Acting-Presi-dent. Ever since the illegal dissolution of Parliament tho Constitutionalists, of whom I>r. Wu Ting-Fang is the spokesman, have not ceased to demand the reeonvooation of Parliament. They hold that "no nation can lead a proper | "existence withont the reign of law'as " opposed to that of -force." The Peking Government proceeded on the lines of an autocracy. When one of iheir number was. suspected of sympathies with the cause he has been shot without even the'semblanco of a court-martial, "and on the "following day a Presidential docree is " issued posthumously indicting him for "his alleged crimes." According to Dr. Wu Ting-Fang, funds which should be devoted to constructive purposes are diverted for the Civil War, and the mission of. the Boxer Indemnify payments by the Allies has but furnish 3d Peking militarists with more silver bullets against their Constitutionalist

brothers. The. Northern Foreign Minister further declares that the Poking Government lias "entered tho war " against Germany, but has manifested "no active participation in tho war '•'consonant with. China's resources in "man power and material, while there "is much evidence to show that the "Allies have been exploited for the sel"fish interests'of tho militarists." The Constitutionalists urge with considerable force that what they are fighting against is worse than Prussianism, because it masquerades under the guise of Republicanism. No unbiased person can read the manifesto to which we have referred without being struck with the moderation of its tone, and the strength of the facte and arguments adduced. It is a matter for general satisfaction that the two parties are now apparently on the cv e of a settlement, and it is to be hoped that with the restoration of unity at home and .Government on sound lines the development of the immense resources of China will bring to its thrifty and hard-working population a new era of progress and prosperity. Peace and progress in China cannot bat redound to the benefit of the world at large, and especially of thos©. who are at present her Allies.