Oct, 13.
In our news columns we give an analysis of the new organization of the Nationalist Government and yesterday we gave fa translation of an important article by Dr. Wang Ch'ung-hui in which he outlined the various steps of the discussions which led up to the promulgation of the' Regulations which have now become the fundamental law of China, Those Regulations are in reality a written Constitution and are to be judged by the same standards as were applica able to the several preceding Constitutions which have been devised during the seventeen years of the life of the Republic. The main difference between hose Regulations and earlier [Constitutions is that the source of authority is lodged by the Regulations in the Kuomintang, which also is charged with their interpretation and—_ possible amendment, whereas the Constitutions have acknowledged the people as the source from which the government derived its authority. Dr. Wang points out that the Legislative and Administrative. Councils are. appointed by the Party and not by popular election. He might have added that the same is true of the Judicial, Examination and" \Censorate Councils. In point of fact the Party exercises all the functions of government. It is of small importance that 'a Five-Power system has been adopted, for it makes no difference among. how many organs the powers of [government are divided as long jas they are all subject to the Party. In a very real sense it is indeed a misnomer to call the new system a Five-Power Government, for it is actually only One-Power Government—that of the Party. In Russia the Communist Party has had checks upon its activities imposed by its relation to. the Third International and in Italy the Fascists have had the balancing influence of the King, but in China the Party has nothing to bind it, It is supreme and exclusive, According to the article by Dr, Wang these Regulations were prepared during the days between September 19 and October 4—a period of fifteen days. We venture the opinion that this is the shortest time in which a system of government has ever been devised but must also be remembered that the Party organization which is responsible for its creation is permanent and can at any time make such amendments or changes as may be found necessary. In all other countries the process of amendment is hedged about with so many formalities that it can only be effected after long delays and discus-In this instance the can change these Regulations without trouble or delay One of the most interesting features of these Regulations is. ithe low position which they assign to the Ministers of the ten Boards. Mr. C. T. Wang as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mr. T. V. Soong as Minister of Finance are in the third grade of authority. Over them are the Administrative Conference, Hsing Chen Hui I, and the Government Conference, Fuo Fu Hui I, not to mention the Party Conference which is over all.
In dignity and rank the Ministers in charge of Boards will be in unfavourable position as compared with Ministers in any other country of which we know. We imagine that it will be found difficult to secure men of high ability to serve as Ministers when their acts are ito be reviewed by so many superior authorities. The in-
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Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.