So Sun Fo came to Peking, and the necessary overtures. Peking of course fell on his neck, and the outlook of complete operation looked more rosy than it had been for many years. Nobody here know exactly what was brewing in Canton, nor the state of mind of the " authorities in. the southern capital, But Peking's optimism was rather dampened the next day on learning that Sun Fo, after his visit to the Foreign Office, had straightaway gone to see Comrade Karakhan, and presented him with the Shameen dossier for transmission to his colleagues of plomatic Corps. There was a little murmuring that diplomatic ce-operation should have been given 4 chance to fructify before the notes, were sent to the Legations, for the Peking Goverment would" dearly have liked to substitute Hu Han-min's for Shen Juili the foot of the letter of But the difference instantly evaporated when Sun Fo again came round to talk' cooperation. Sun had fulfilled his duty, which was indulge in a pleasant academic cha cen collaboration, but to see to it that he alone, and not the Wai chiaopu, handed in the necessary Gocument to Karakhan. The documents in themselves, in that they were complete and bore the signature of Hu Han-min, were proof of the Canton Government' determination to keep the Shameen ase strictly a Canton affair, with the Peking government in the role of side-kickers, if they liked.
As Hu Han-min had foresees, the Peking government asked that Wang Ching-wei himself should come to Peking to consult with them as to the methods to be adopted in representations to the powers. Sun Fo, of course, was not of sufficient importance as a negotiator, as Hu Han-min had intended should be appreciated, and it was necessary to discuss the plan with a man who had executive office in Canton, Moreover, Sun Fo: was empowered merely to talk about the idea of joint action, and had no definite scheme which could be brought into operation to apply to negotiations as a The Inopportune Assassination Hu Han-min, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, would be the only possible man to act as plenipotentiary. Wang Ching-wei could not be spared; he was the head of the Government; and so Hu himself was preparing to leave Canton when the assassination of Liao Chung-kol cut short the patience of Hu's enemies, fand provided them with an excuse for locking him up. He deserved better fate after working so hard show Canton a clear pair of Canton heels; and even yet may succeed in his object, for he is a person of some consequence, and therefore cannot be got rid of summarily.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.