CHINA

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 22 January 1927, Page 11

CHINA

THE MILITARY SPIRIT

MILLION MEN UNDER ARMS

T\o the News Bulletin of the Institute of Pacific Relations, which has its headquarters in Honolulu, Shao Chang Lee. oL‘ the University of Hawaii, has contributed an interesting note on the subject of “Militarism in China.” He asks, first: How was the military system in modern China originated? Second : How can we account for the fact that China has the largest army in the world? Third: How can the military system be converted into an instrument for good ? Then he goes on to say:— Since 1800 China has become a weak military power. In all her foreign wars she suffered terrible defeats and humiliations. The rise of Japan as a world power after the RussoJapanese War gave her an inspiration. In January, 1905, an Imperial edict_ was issued, setting forth a plan for the organisation of an army along modern lines. The work of organisation was assigned to V uen Shih Kai. The famous Peiyaug military school was then established. Many of the militarists who have been trying to cut each, other’s throats during these years of civil strife were once fellow-students of that institution. In February, 1912, the Republic of China was established to take the place of the Manchu Monarchy. Dr. Sun Yat-sen resigned his position as Provisional President of the Republic in favour of Yuen Shih Kai. After ascending the presidential -throne in Pekin, Yuen began to place his Peiyang men as governors-general of the various cities of strategic importance. These Peiyang men soon split over the division of powers'and spoils. As a result two military cliques were formed. One is known as the Chih-li group, and the other as the Anfu clique. After Yuen’s death, they began to fight with one another for political supremacy in the country. These two cliques waged the civil war of 1920. and the Kiangsu-Chekiang War of 1924-5. At present Wu Pei Fu is the strong leader of the Chih-li gToup. Tuan Chijui. now retired, is still the recognised leader of the Anfu group. Tn Manchuria, after the downfall of Yuen Shih Kai, the Fengtien clique was formed. Chang Tso-lin and his entourage are the leaders. For the past ten years the leaders of these military cliques have tried (and are still trying) to control the central government, at Pekin. They have no definite political platforms and policies, hut they all try to imitate Mencius by saying what he once said:

rt Heaven does not yet wish the Empire to enjoy tranquillity and good order. If heaven wishes this, who is there besides me to bring it about?” Each and every one of them believes that, he is the only one who. can save China. Very frequently they issue manifestoes apologising for whatever wrongs t hey may have done, declaring why they have to fight, how the country should be unified, and so on. They sendTong'telegrams announcing their intention of saving China by punishing their enemies, and Urging the people to support them. Many students, merchants, and. leaders of the various guilds are led to believe in them. Many are forced to give them financial support. The civilians are not strongly organised to resist their demands.

It has been said that Chinese despise, soldiers, and that they believe good citizens should never condescend to become soldiers. This may be true in times of peace, but certainly it does not seem true in extraordinary times. In Wu Pei Fu’s camps one finds many student-soldiers. In Chang Kai-shek’s . expeditionary force against the northern militarists, one finds thousands of “dare-to-die” student-soldiers. In Feng Yu . Hsiang’s “Christian army” there are sevei’al thousand strong young peasants. It has been estimated that at present there are in all China nearly a million men in arms. If Chinese despise soldiers, the fathers would not permit their sons to join the army, and wives would not let their husbands leave their homes for camps. . But they have to. If not permitted to join the throng of the militarists what else can they do, seeing that there is no soil for them to till, no domestic articles for them to make, and their wives and fathers are too proud to let them become bandits? They must eat. They must have clothes to wear. They are restless. They want to do something good or bad. Under economic pressure the view of life seems to be necessarily changed. Then there is the group of red-blooded young patriots, who have received some military training, and who want to do something for their country. They want to help in unifying the nation. Against the wishes of the old folks they go to the army camps.

That the present military system is an evil, even the militarists themselves do not deny, hut when the time comes China will not only be a unified nation politically, but from a military standpoint a formidable world power.