Feb, 15.
In a lengthy manifesto to the Army, the Presidents of the five Yuan' have lately expressed themselves in unmistakeable terms with regard to the principle of unification by force. Peace is to be achieved by unit cation; and by unification, they mean that in the event of military force having to be used to settle the differences of opinion, the Government will sts every sinew. Their manifesto opens with the following clear-cut expression of opinion:
Since the completion of the Northern Expedition, the fundamental policy of the Central Goverment,—the policy which it has strained every ounce of its energy to carry out—has been peace by unification. The Central Government is convinced that, without unification, there can be no econo mic regeneration, the nation will never be sufficiently strengthened to achieve a position of equality in the family of nations; and that, without peace, the people will have no opportunity to make effective their social and economi: programme by the sole means by which the national strength can be restored toa normal condition. Therefore, it is only by national unification that we may attain national independence; and without true unification there can also be no lasting peace.
"It is because of this conviction that the Central Government. has adopted peace by unification as) its fundamental policy and its every effort is directed toward the realization of this aim. This is fact which must be apparent to all our people."
The manifesto then relates how the Government's policy has eon thwarted by various militarists, the Kuangsi clique, General Feng Vu-hsiang, General Chang Fa-kuei and General Tang Song-chi. But all these efforts failed, because the-national armies have always been able speedily to put down revolts even when all the odds were against Nanking. Therefore militarists are advised not.to interfere with of the Government, to business and to obey and thereby to gain merit with the Government. Those who still continue to follow feudalistic habits of mind and practices will be put down with an iron heol even as their predecessors were arouse the antagonism of the people against them. ends the mani festo, "whosoever raises arms against the Government, thereby destroying peace and becoming the enemy of the people, shall be put down ruthlessly as he is a common enemy. The Government may be forced to take" military measures against him, in the interest of peace and unification, as it has dane in the numerous cases last year and this spring.
"The Central Government will treat all forces, whatever be their past record, on the same level a3 its most loyal forees as long 33 they work in the interest of peace and unification. The Central Government will not only maintain their existence, but will also try. to preserve their position in the revolutionary history."
The final paragraphs of the manifesto, quoted above, do not quite explain themselves. They sound like a pointed challenge to someone tin named, but it is to be hoped that they are not a prelude to further fighting. China's most pressing need today is peace—peace at any price! Are we to understand from this manifesto that it is an omen of more warfare? The Presidents of the Yuan have undoubtedly sought to threaten the recalcitrant militarists in to an avoidance of further fighting, now that Spring approaches, but threatening will scarcely accomplish what a frank, open conference would do, Even then most violent feudal lords must realize that nothing. is to be gained by damaging the position of China internationally by more fighting or by bringing further sufferings on the Chines people who have not yet recovered from years of civil strife. Famine, flood, banditry, dropping silver—have these not taken their toil? Who is brave enough to start a war in the face of such misery? It was undoubtedly this idea which prompted the Presidents of the five Yuan to issue their manifesto.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.