The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JUNE 27th, 1925. CHINA.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 June 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JUNE 27th, 1925. CHINA.

Ai’itoros the present situation in China, to which the cable news rulers daily, a review of the position covering the decade from 1914 to W)24, is made lie Air T. H. Lamport in lTic Sydney Herald. His interesting facts are worth noting, which accounts for the extended reference to the matter in this column tc-dav. He writes : Some anti-foreign demonstration China has for a long time past been watched Ruby the Powers, particularly during the last half decade. These years cover a period of rapid fundamental changes in the internal condition and temper of the country, and from the western point of view matters have been going from had to worse. Ihe political atmosphere has been surcharged with covert and open animosity against the domination of the Powers. Every obstacle has been placed in the "ay ol the continued economic enslavement of the country Lv the foreigner, and particularly in regard to Shanghai itselt has this pisli.y oi obstruction been most marked. H the events ot the last few

soars provide a reliable guide, then’ is a fundamental difference between the present disturbance, and the lloxw unrising *)i 1 i),.0, which, originally directed by the I lloh Chuan (an antidynastic society) against the Manchu throne, was skilfully diverted by the latter against the foreigner on the principle that with the people's mind diverted the danger to the ruling Powers would be obviated. 1 lie demonstrations now occurring, on the othei hand, find their seat in the deep emotion of tiie Chinese people at the way they have for years he'd! exploited by the imperialistic West. Assuming that the present disturbance is confined to Shanghai alone, there should exist no anxiety for the moment concerning the lives of the European residents in the affected area", me Great Powers have by no means lieen without foresight. So nebulous is the present state of affairs in China, and so olsseure many of the circumstances that have produced the existing demonstration of rabid anti-foreign hatred, that an article from one who has lived the greater part of his life in China, has travelled in the interior, and has some knowledge of Mandarin and also two

other dialects, inay he of interest and help in elucidating the cables now emanating from the seat of trouble. The Great War and the sudden withdrawal of the control exercised hv the Powers of Europe, and also the U.S.A. gave the Chinese the opportunity of pursuing their own inclinations untrammelled by any fear of protest, and when the end of hostilities came, a 1 great change had occurred in China. Western diplomats, once more free to direct their attention to the Republic ;

soon found that the status quo ante helium eouhl never be restored. For one thing. the balance of power amongst themselves had been violently disrupted. The internal condition of tlie whole country hud fundamentally altered. Years of internecine warefare had left the Central Government of l’ekin a hollow shell, and all power had passed to the provinces. Decrees from Pekin were openly flouted; every Tuehun (military Governor) of a province had become a law unto himself; taxes and other Government revenue were pre-empted for the personal use of the Tuchuns and th#ir parasites. Military Governors had come to own private armies, well found in many respects. They held their posts by virtue of .such, and so long as these commanders paid their men they were safe. The whole country had been rent by faction and continued to grow worse. Cabals were formed and reformed, and the spectre of Civil 'War stalked the length and breadth of the laud. Disorder reigned supreme. Of the disastrous elici t upon trade, both native and foreign, much could he written. Heavy and illegal imposts had begun to lie levied upon foreign trade, contrary to treaty stipulations, and protests to the nominal Government in Pekin were without avail, and eventually became farcical. The significance to the West of these symptoms of political -malaise was the gradual but sure fall of foreign prestige to zero. Chinn no longer feared the threats of the Powers for she knew that for many reasons they could not be enforced. This decline of moral and material ascendency is one of varied aspects, the least of which is not tin' antipathy of colour and race. Before Armageddon the solidarity of the AVcst was practically unquestioned and undisturbed, but, interwoven with the disintegration of China during the war period was the demoralising effect on white prestige of an extensive propaganda against the Germans by the Allies. The Germans were a people looked upon by the Chinese with genuine respect and wholesome fear before the Great War. Secondly, the use of coloured troops by both sides had its psychological effect. So long a.s the employment of such troops helped either side, all race antipathies and fears were a matter of supreme indifference. Now comes the harvest, for there can be no question that tin leaven of racial hatred has a distinct bearing upon the present disturbances in the Far Fast.