STATE OF CHINA

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 27, 31 July 1937, Page 10

STATE OF CHINA

PROGRESS DESCRIBED

VISITOR CRITICISES JAPAN

Dr. Arthur Taylor, F.R.G.S., who has recently returned from a six months' tour of China, and who for many years served as correspondent in China for "The Times" and the "Daily Mail," summed up the present situation in the Far East in an interview with "The Post." Dr. Taylor sa.id that Japan was making no allowance for China's difficulties. When it was realised that the Chinese Government was responsible for an area larger than Europe it was easy to imagine what those

y difficulties were. d Dr. Taylor paid a warm tribute to y the Chinese Government, which had *■ accomplished much in recent years in j} restoring law and order in the interior provinces. Tremendous advances had been made in all directions, and Britt ish and American people generally did not realise that the Chinese of i today were no longer an illiterate and :- lawless mass. s The visit to China which ■he had s just completed, said Dr. Taylor, would 3 not have been possible five or ten l years ago. The trip would have - taken four or five years. China was moving more rapidly in material 3 things than Europe or America ret alised. There were excellent means . of transport throughout the country. . For instance, in many respects their ; railways were more up to date than ; those in New Zealand. It was also t possible to cross China in a little over . two days by means of splendid aero- ! planes operated for the most part by, ; Chinese. There were also good motor \ roads linking up the main cities of [ China. Education in China was making ' tremendous strides. Twenty years " ago 80 per cent, of the people wera 1 illiterate, and ten years ago 95 per cent, of the children were without educational facilities. Today that had all : been changed. Of course, there were still insufficient schools, but the Government was taking the education of the masses in hand in a most efficient manner. One thing the Government had done was to establish the New Life movement, which had as its object the abolition of old customs. Not only were the Chinese people becoming studious, but they were also devoting their attention to organised sport. Referring to the present situation in China, Dr. Taylor said: "Words of mine are not strong enough to condemn Japan's present action. She is entirely to blame for all the bad feeling that exists between the two nations." During his six months' tour of China he had not once been held up by bandits or brigands, said Dr. Taylor. That said- much for the efforts which the Government was making to restore law and order in the provinces of China. By her action Japan was making more difficult the attempts ■of the Chinese Government' to stamp out the Red element. AVhile China was engaged in defending her own territory she could not devote her attention to the Reds. The feeling between the Japanese and Chinese was very intense, and the Chinese were determined that Japan would never control China. It was difficult to estimate what the. outcome of the present position would be. If China possessed a navy the position would be different, as Japan would not be able to close the ports of the country. However,' the Chinese troops were splendidly disciplined, and ths fact that the people were solidly behind the Government would help the Chinese cause.

China was material

China had never been more open than she was at the present time, so far as the spreading of the Christian faith was concerned. The country was particularly well disposed towards Britain; the old anti-British feeling of years ago had been eradicated.

Tomorrow morning Dr. Taylor will speak at the Kent Terrace Presbyterian Church, and in the evening at the Taranaki- Street Methodist Church. On Monday evening he will give a lecture in the Vivian Street Baptist Church.