A UNITED CHINA

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 270, 10 August 1922, Page 4

A UNITED CHINA

CIVIL WAR NOW ENDED SAYS MR. MA HSIAOCHIN, M.P. HOW YOUNG CHINA IS AWAKENING

There were about ten motor-cars filled with Chinese, each wearing a favour of white ribbon, and each car flying the multi-c.oloured flag of the Chinese Republic, awaiting tho arrival of the Moeraki from Sydney on the wharf yesterday morning. All were laughing and gossiping in a most animated and pleasant fashion. On inquiry being made as to tho causa of this jollity it was discovered that the party awaited the landing of Mr. Ma Hsiao-chin, ALP., of Canton, China, who was accompanied by the editor of the Chinese "Weekly Truth," of Hong-Kong, and Mr. T. 8Lumbewe, vice-president of the Chinese Freemason Society, of Sydney. The welcome wits really a Masonic one. for it was discovered that the white ribbon favours werp symbols of the society—a branch of the ;;reat order that stretches round tho world and has its lodges in every country arid clinic-. At all events, the visitor had no cause for complaint as to the cordiality of the greeting tendered him. Nothing could have been more hearty and joyops in its character. For once the immobile- countenances of the Chinese became relaxed, the faces of all .wreathed with smiles. As e-oon as the formal greetings at the wharf were over the visitors were driven np tn the Masonic Society’s hall in Vivian Street, where they were tendered a capital luncheon, after which they adjourned -Upstairs to the lodge-room, and foregathered in social intercourse. It was upon this gathering -that a DOMINION scribo intruded. It hardly seemed the right time to interview a notability, but the visitor insisted on the pressman entering, and hedged to be allowed to answer any questions, "Bat could I not see you another time? This Jooks like a public meeting." And it djd, for round the room sat tho members of the order, apparently waiting to be addressed. "It is all right,” said Mr. Hsiao-chin, "what I say to you is for them, too. They do not mind. Wo are ail one." This was freemasonry with a vengeance, but ns the visitor was evidently au fait with the situation a conversation, was entered upon, whilst the 'the forty or fifty Chinese present looked on In smiling content, some of them even making themselves busy in procuring wine, cigars, and cigarettes for the newspaper guest. Visitor a Young Man. It-was learned very.quickly that Mr. Ma Hsiao-chin was a man of parts. Having taken his M.A. degree at the Columbia University, _ln the United States, he speaks. English fairly fluently, and has a quick and ready grasp of any question put to him. He- li-s only 34 years of age, and one can judge of the age of tha ■ young men who are remodelling old China when.it is stated that the visitor wag a class-mate of Dr. Wellington Koo. who is at present Chinese Ambassador in London, and who represented China at the Washington Conference the other day. Mr. Hsiao, chin, in reply to questions, said that people outside China seemed, to hare little knowledge of what is happening in China. ' They did not seem to realise that China was more united to-day thnn it had ever been. They still thought that the north was fighting the south in a deadly v.ar of race extermination, when nothing of the kind was taking place. There had been a little fighting It was true, this yeai, but. tho number employed was comparatively ■ few, and now it was all over. He had received a cable message four weeks'ago saying that the fighting was all over—Chinn was at peace and united. "But we heard only the other day that the.forces of Dr, Sun Yat Sen were bombarding Canton?"

At this, ■ the visitor laughed. That was anparently a flash in the nan. Dr. Sun Yat Sen, who was the first Pres : - dent of the new Republic, had got it into IVs head that he was a "great .viin," and he talked a lot of "hot air.” “Do vou know." said the visitor, "before he bombarded ho called the pressmen of Canton together and told them what a big gqn ho was. a.id how he was going to rule China, and that, being a big gun, he was going to fire some real ones.” This was related with Icvitv, which seemed to indicate that Dr. Sen’s sun had set, for the time being at all even ts. New Order of Things in China. Speaking generally about the' civil wars which had occurred during the last decade, Mr. Ma Hsian-chin said that the Roman Empire or the British- Empire had not been built in a day. and these were the natural' disturbances of instituting a new order of things' after countless centuries of absolute auto-

cratic government. Perhaps we did not know that, the revolution i.h China started from without. That is to sav it was brought about as tho result of knowledge acquired by those Chinese who had gone out of the country either in search of education or fortune or both. It was such of his countrymen who had pointed out how China was dropi>ng behind the world in every form of progress because of an effete Government which was against all manner of enlightenment. ' It took some years to even convince many that any other form of government was even possible, but the reformers persevered until the revolution came and succeeded. Now advancement was com ng quicker. The present Chinese Republican Government. under the Presidency of Li Yuan Hung, was alive to the necessity of getting into stride with the.world. Li was an educated man of big vision. He had not travelled, it was true', which was rather an anomaly, for he was a naval man, and was educated at the Chinese Naval School. - But lie was far-seeing. Thoro was a militaristic element in China. Some of the governors of pj-ovinces wore out for militaristic newer, but Li would not have it. The first thing h e did was to quel] that spirit; and here and there that led. to a little trouble, but rmthing very serious. Jfo abolished the military system wherever it had been established, and said that China could only prosper with peace within her borders. The Government, too, now has a set nob'e-y of send ng 500 young Chinese to Europe or America each year to be educated in the broader things of life in order that they may return te China and be of some real service to their country. Their Parliament sat in Pek.ng. The latest session commenced on August 1, and he. had just cabled for an extension of two months, as he wished to have a further vacation ifl these parls. Iff, had wanted to n’pit his people, too, in .Australia, for he wished to see how they were vetting on, and whether they behaved themselves as good Chinese should de. for ho was a member of the Foreign Committee of Parliament. Sessions were herd every year for three years, just ns in New Zealand. At present they had manhood suffrage, but the women were beginning to cry out for political recognition. Yes. indeed, women talked on tho street Burners, and had banners, sayinv "A r otes for AVomen," so ho supposed that in time they would ret what they wanted, as most women did. No. there was not a prohibition issue in Ch'na I There was just the little beginnings of one. that was all. The Chinese were a sober people. "I do not like prohibition.” said the visitor. "I -like a little drink sometimes." China's Industrial Development. Mr. Hsiao-chin said he was out for tho Industrial development of China, and he wanted to see some,thing of our industries whilst ho was here. He said they had 30 cotton mills in Shanghai for yarn spinning, but no woollen mills. He wauled to see our woollen mills. At present it, seemed t<> Jiim that wo in New Zealand liked fo f.ond all cur wool to London rather flan send some of if to China. "The wool ire want we have to buy from Jrpiin/’ he added. "That is because tho Japanese buyers to Australia and New Zealand.’’ "That is what we must do!"' Then the visitor m-entloncd that they,

had plenty of iron and coal, copper, and tin. and "lung” oil for export, and many silk factories, but what he aspired to do was to develop the industries on European, models, in order to modernise the whole nation, and shako it out. of its rut. No Objection to a White Australia. "Do the Chinese evince any desire to emigrate’to the south?” "No, I don’t think so. There are some of my countrymen against this ‘'White Australia’ policy, but I am not. T think every country should do. the best it can for itself. I would like to see the Chinese stay in . China and develop their own country, with its Wonderful ■ resources and immense area. Why not? Please understand. Tdo not blame Australia for its 'White Australia' policy.” AIT. Mti Hsiao-ch.ui i« being pressed to visit Samoa and other places, but is disposed at present to think that the time at his disposal is limited. There may be. those in New Zealand who .have Hked at Hong-Kong. If so they will be interested to learn that the visitor is a son of Afr. Ala Ent Ting, who was in business there as a merchant for many ycj’js, and who is st’il alive. There is to be a bi? meetirm of welcome io the visitor t’ys evening n f the Wasonie/Hnll in BmilcoU Street, when Europeans as well as Chinese will be pretent.