Peking, Nov. 5.
It is perfectly clear that the President's Mandate declaring peace on earth is not to be taken seriously. The President of China does not control enough provinces to declare this country unified. He. cannot even unify opinion in the city of Peking, in his own cabinet or in any ministry.
The people of China demand three things: the abolition of the Tuchun system, the disbandment of troops and' local _self-government, These ideas did not spring out of the brain of a politician. They have come of the normal result of an endeavour on the part of large articulate masses in this country to find a way out of the chaos which the revolution ushered in. Once it was thought that Kuomintang militarism would destroy Peking militarism. But it did not. Then it was thought that constitutionalism would destroy Peking autocracy. But it did not. Latterly we have seen a movement for a Citizens' Convention. The politicians were so anxious to pack the house that all good men dissociated themselves from the moyvenient. Bat the Chinese people have not forgotten why they wanted a Citizen's Convention. They wanted it to find a modus operandi toond the reign of the Tuchuns. The Convention died, but: the idea behind it lives.
Tre Rear Fear.
When the President issued his mandate declaring the country unified, it was not only because Kuangsi was defeated. Nor did he fear so much the continuance of the Directorate in Canton under the leadership of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. What he and the militarists who control him did fear is the growing desire of the people that the country shall'be unified, on the popular programme already indicated. Prominent leaders here suggested that a Chief Northern Delegate be appointed to take the place of Li Shun and that he meet with delegates of all independent factions to unify the country.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.