Mr. Lu Cheng-hsiang has resigned his position as Minister of Loreign Affairs on the plea of ill health, and his Vice-Minister, Chen Lu, suddenly developed nervous exhaustion, and has begged the Government to relieve him from Lis duties as Acting Minister, The Whole Ministry of Foreign Affairs seem to be sick—sick of dealing With Japanese. As far as this Ministry is concerned, it seems that its members have been ailing for some years, for we have witnessed Little that has been done by this Ministry during the past eight years that has not shown weakness—hoth physical and mental. It is refreshing to find the two senior members courageous enough to acknowledge that they are too sick carry on further negotiations. _When Lu Cheng-hsiang started on kis trip to Paris to attend the Peace Conference, he professed that he was ill at the time, hoping 0 avoid too much pressure from the Japanese when he passed through Tokio en route to Paris. He felt that the Japanese Foreign Cflice would appreciate his weak physical condition, and that they would not deal with him too severely. During the Paris Peace Conference, Lu Cheng-hsiang was forced by illness during several of the crises to retire temporarily to rest his nerves. It does seem a ity that the Chinese Government ave 0 maltreated Lu, knowing kis weak condition, for they refused to allow him to resi his post, though he repeatedly informed Peking of his sickness.
Turvsr Ovr py Pro-Japanese.
It is reported that the Japanese and the pro-Japanese Chinese officials have foreed Lu Cheng hsisng to declare once for all that he is too sick to proceed further with his work. it seems that the Minister has "always found. his health so improve after each crisis as to warrant resumption of—his duties in the Waichiaopu, but this time the "direct negotiations group" hope to make poor Lu so sick that he cannot recover in time to negotiate.
There are many who believe that the President and Premier are angry with Mr. Lu, for he failed to sign the peace with Germany, and has brought back to China the unfinished business that he was supposed to have put through in Pais, thereby relieving the Government of the burden that is now placed upon its shoulders. It was fully intended that Lu Cheng-hsiang should become the scape-Baris, He was instructed to fol-at of the Peking Government in
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.