Dec. 15.
We publish to-day the first of a series of articles by a special correspondent recently sent Hankow. He explains in detail the method by which the Kuomintang pursue victory; the meaning of the recent upheaval lat Hankow; its object, to teach whoever may need the lesson that a new power has come into existence with a new purpose for China, There is also a broad hint that at any moment. this power may be exerted in Shanj hai, which we think extremely likely. Our correspondent says that the Kuomintang admit frankly that the weapon of agitation, strikes and terrorism, is too valuable to be discarded while there are fields to conquer, but that in good lof "stabilization" begi they add that this period already set in at Canton, corroboration, may be recalled the telegram' we published 01 Monday, describing the drastic machinery which the Canton Government was instituting to repress the now too frivolous tendency to strike. Meanwhile the Political Bureau has arrived at Wuchang and has taken over charge from the Agitation Bureau. Hence, we are told, the restoration of calm.
It is looking too far ahead to anticipate that these methods will work all over China or even everywhere south of the Yangtze with the same precision they have apparently shown at Han-low. They may do so; in which ease we shall have 'a united government of the whole country Which it will be possible to deal with, not, we may be sure, too easily, but at any rate with some hope of practical result in respect of agreements reached. There are obvious possibilities of slip betwixt the Kuomintang cup and lip. "Racial antagonisms in the North may be too much even fox the subtle st propaganda. There are rumours that the Hunanese, traditionally a proud fand independent people, begin to grow jealous of Canton, The Agitation Bureau may get out lof hand, as extremist wings have an uncomfortable habit of doing in all such movements. Last and perhaps not least, the revolt of the Chinese shopkeepers and merchants at Hankow against the pickets' tyranny teaches that even this long-suffering class will turn when goaded too far. The success of Kuomintang pro paganda has largely been that it promised something better intolerable misrule of the Tuchuns. But how if the prove no better after all?
if for one occasional mili-} ut, the coming of the means the daily tyranny of hundreds?
For the present it is enough, perhaps, to consider that peace and order have apparently been restored at Hankow ish Minister arrives there to make the agreeable and unwontled discovery of a responsible organ of government which can say' clearly what it wants and appears capable of doing what it says it will do. As yet there has been no disclosure of Mr. Lampson's conversations with ithe Cantonese but it is generally understood that they have been amicable and that his visit has thad a good effect. It certainly, should do so, both as a practical
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.