TROUBLED CHINA.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20909, 17 July 1933, Page 5

TROUBLED CHINA.

LAND OF BITTERNESS AND HATRED. LETTER FROM A NEW ZEALANDER.

"The tardiness of Great Britain in interceding with Japan for the cessation of her present attitude toward China is perhaps accounted for by the fact that condemnation of Japan's methods would be a condemnation of her own methods in 1840 and 1860. Great Britain's attitude to China has changed radically in recent years, but the hatred caused by her former tactics will last for generations to come. It is tragic to see Japan copying so faithfully the methods of the western powers a century ago," wrote Miss N. Moncrieff. M.A., formerly of Victoria College, and now in charge of a Young Women's Christian Association women students' hostel in Peiping, in a recent letter to friends in New Zealand.

"Even if an agreement is reached between China and Japan," Miss Moncrieff wrote, "the south-eastern provinces, including Canton, are not likely to consent to it. The central government is not a representative government as it is not elected by the people: and at a time like this it is severely criticised. The south-cast provinces feel that China is signing away her soul, and I have heard Cantonese jn Peiping say that if the agreement is signed either they will withdraw from the republic and form an independent state, or there will be another civil war between the north and the south to unseat the present government and vindicate China's honour.

"As an outsider, I appreciate the central government's desire to end the present useless waste of life and property; but I sympathise, too, with the reluctance of China to sign an unequal treaty that will put her at a disadvantage with other nations." Even conceding that China's attitude to foreign powers had sometimes been unco-operative and often provocative, wrote Miss MoncriefT, there was historical cause for this attitude in the war with Japan in 1804. Beside that, since September 18, 1931. there had been not one shred of justice, or fair dealing, or common decency, in Japan's treatment of Chinaj she declared. Miss MoncriefT described at some length the waves of panic which from time to time broke over Peiping and the manner in which transport was being rushed by people evacuating the city. "Trains have been packed to the doors," she said. "Persons have climbed in through the carriage windows, and not only has there been no standing room inside, but persons have been crowding on the carriage platforms, en the buffers, and on top of the cars."

Miss Moncrieff added that her work had been brought practically to a standstill. There were seven girls left in the student hostel, most of the girls' middle schools had closed, one university women's college had removed to Suchow, and several thousand university students, including most of those with whom the Young Women's Christian Association were in contact, had left the city.