CHINA AIMS HIGH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 109, 11 May 1931, Page 7

CHINA AIMS HIGH

END OF UNEQUAL TREATIES CLIMAX TO BIG CONVENTION I By Td graph—Press Association—Copy right] Received May 10, 5. sp.m. SHA.XGHAI, Alay 9. There were amazing scenes at tho National People’s Convention at Nanking when, us a dramatic climax iu response to an appeal i’roni General Chiang-Kai-Shek the ent: • 500 delegates rose in support of an extraordinary motion that unequal treaties between China and foreign governments be abolished immediately. Huge crowds madly cheered the delegates’ decision. General Chang-Sue Liang, the Afukden war lord, was appointed co draft a manifesto demanding the complete abolition of the treaties, which were “a most serious obstacle o the unification and recon ‘ruction of China.” To-day, Saturday, is the anniversary of the imposition of Japan’s 21 demands, which is China’s greatest grievance. DR. T. Z. KOO ABRIVAL IN WELLINGTON NEW IDEALS IN CHINA [ Per Press Association. | WELLINGTON, May 10. One of the younger leaders of modern China, Dr. T. Z. Koo, arrived in Wellington yesterday morning from Auckland, being accorded a reception at the station by representative Chinese residents and leaders of the Student Christian Movement. He is spending a month in the Dominion under the auspices of the World’s Student Christian Federation, of which hv is vicechairman, a special invitation from the New Zealand Movement Laving been extended to him. When interviewed upon his arrival to-day, Dr. Koo, who speaks perfect English, said that some surprise had been caused in Auckland by the fact that he needed in interpreter when addressing his fellow-countrymen in that city. “I spoke in Mandarin or standard Chinese, in the national dialect,’ ’ho said, “but as the majority of Chinese in Auckland uro southerners, speaking Cantonese, my remarks had to be interpreted.” Language diversity, he added, made for divisions among the people, hence it was more than ever necesary that the Chinese people should bo united so that they could move forward as one nation to accomplish the great tasks that lay before them. Chinese Students Abroad Education is une of the subjects in which Dr. Koo is greatly interested. He says that large numbers' of Chinese students are to be found scattered throughout the world at the various leading unversities. In Japan, for instance, there were over 5000, whilst in the United States there were another 1500. In Great Britain there might be found 150, in Germany 300, and in France 2000, the reason for the large number in France being the fact that ia that country there was less racial prejudice than in some others. There was also a society in France, especially for tho promotion of study amongst Chinese students. There were possibly, too, as many as 500 Chinese students in Russia. They were being trained in Bolshevik propaganda at a special school in Moscow. “But the Chinese Government has its eye on these Aloseow students,” says Dr. Koo. “They arc debarred from coming back to China, but, in spite of this, some do manage to return, and they are a menace to the peace of the country.” Jn China, said Dr. Koo, there was nothing to prevent the poorest children from attending college. Fees were very nominal, and to- a large extent students were drawn from tho poorer classes. There were two .dudentunovcnionts in China. Ono group were National students and the others were Christian students. Every political party endeavoured to capture the student group first as a means of influencing the future. “No political party can hope to make much progress if it does not win over tbc students, for there is no such thing as the franchise in China yer,” he said. The importance of this was seen in the suppression of the literary activities of the Communists, whose operations had been driven underground since the expulsion of Communist Russians in 1920. Written propaganda was the only way in which they could now reach the students. The Opium Trade. Out. of the suffering and distress occasioned by the revolution 20 years ago, said Dr. Koo, a new China was arising, but the old China lived on, great as before and destined co become a change of heart. For instance, greater still. With her awakening had China was seeking the total suppres sion of the opium trade, with which the league of Nations was still dealing. The campaign for the abolition of the trade was started in 1906, but when tho central government subsequently broke down, a number of provincial governments started growing the poppy again. Even to-day a certain amount of secret growing was being carried on, but public opinion on the whole was very much against the drug habit. The country unfortunately. however, was receiving huge quantities of smuggled drugs, principally derivatives from opium. Dr. Koo was the representative of 34 Chinese organisations at tho second Opium Conference called by the League of Nations in 1925.