duly The strained relations _between Canton and Nanking have been vaguely puzzling the conscientious student of Chinese political affairs. It was noteworthy that when the Tangku truce was signed the fulminations of Canton subsided, The Central Government no "doubt took special steps to keep Canton, informed of the implications of the truce, but it was not until General Chen Chi-tang formally took over charge of the bandit-suppression operations in the South that Canton's attitude towards the Japanese—issue developed a greater air of detachment. The Nineteenth Route Army abandoned thoughts of a Journey to. the North for' the more practical work of disposing of communist-bandits in Kian There were certain rumours of the intentions of certain Canton personalities but they seemed. part of the dissolving views Peculiar to political entertainments in that part of the world, It must not be thought" that Canton has suddenly acquired a passionate admiration for Nanking, Candour impels that cautionary comment, "Canton is probably Jess inclined than ever to see virtue in General Chiang Kai-shek's actions or inactions. Only the other day, when remind ed "by Dr. W.-W. Yen, Dr. Wellington Koo, and Mr.' Quo Tai-chi of the pleasantness of cooperation and, indeed, of the painful impression of disunity created by the lack' of it the South-Western Political Council, which may be said to represent the soul of Canton, was no way convinced. By telegram and at some length Canton. was at pains to explain to the diplomatic trio that "so long as Nanking grovels non-resistance, it would be tantamount to disloyalty, if not tron:
son, should South-Western leaders fail' to speak and warn against the policy of the man in power in Nanking who is leading the nation to disaster because his conception and practice of the slate make for the subordination of vital" me forests of China to personal and family consideration It is not unreasonable to sug that the signatories of a telegram couched in such terms did
Chiang Kai-shek. "Appreciation hot see eye to eye with General of Canton's condemnation of a policy of non-resistance is rendered difficult by the apparent restriction of Canton's resistance Still that does not obscure the basic fact that Canton and Nanking are in that blissful state sometimes described as "agreement to differ." And, of course, Canton can very pro: perly urge that there are plenty of precedents in other undoubtedly organised states.
Nevertheless the Chinese newspapers show that they are by no means clear in their own minds regarding the attitude of Canton, They see that in the North the enigma of Marshal Feng Vu-hsiang is giving the Central Government much exercise in definition-framing. The Marshal is being invited leave Kalgan and disband his troops. "If he does not, do that, then there will have to be notice taken of his refusal. He wants to preserve Charhar by remaining in Kalgan; the Government wants to preserve Charhar by removing him from the Province. Once again, other critics point Out, the anomaly of discussing politics with a military leader is exposed. In another sen: this feeling is latent in Canto There General Chen Chi-tang is a leading personality. He keeps Nanking at a distance and is Jealous for Canton's rights direction of its own affairs. So if any bandit-suppression has to [be carried out in the South, it naturally comes under—his charge. Genially he will sign that interesting instrument of Political argument known as the circular telegram, just' signed the telegraphic retort to the trio of Geneva. Circular telegrams have special merits of their own in Canton. They reveal high standard of vituperative skill. They have an extensive Vocabulary. They tend to impress the reader with the feeling that at last the oracle has spoken, an end is being put to evasion, equivocation and exaseration and the next step will e—action. Against the Central Government circular telegram: have been issued in great volume jof Into. Local party leaders, as Canton puts it, have been thrilled of activity agai {the tyrants at Nanking. Several lof them are quite energetic and devise the most lurid telegrams [which positively ask for signature—and get it. As. time has proceeded and this telegram-signing process become fashionable a disillusionment has made itself felt. It seems that General [Chen Chi-tang is really on moderately good terms with General Chiang Kai-shek and only signs the circular telegrams to preserve a certain statue of semi-independence. He is careful to go no further and so has attained a political equilibrium which he values. Critics he has Hike other eminent folk. One says:
"As for his. political colleague General Chen Csitang them honeyed words and Keeps them sweet. When. they hand him a cizeular telegram he always, signs it but he does nothing more,.. when they tried to form fu independent administration in Canton with Mr. Hu Hanmin at the head General Chen encouraged them to" proceed and at the! eleventh hour withdrew his su} port to the wrecking of the whole plan. is clear that General Chen Chi-tang regards the circular telegram as a useful valve, It lets off Canton'
charged In all this perplexity it la not surprising that Canton is wildered, Now that three—or should it be five?—eruisers are! mutinously offering themselves 2 to the South-West as a gesture lof disapproval of Nanking, General Chen Chi-tang, with considerable commonsense, the rejection of their off probably argues that cruisers which mutiny and run away from Tsingtao to Canton on a flimsy pretext, are just as likely as not ito repeat the performance if encouraged to believe that their services have any possible value. Yet, here again, the unsophisticated opponent of Nanking. does not understand the Gen-loral's restraint. Meanwhile Dr. Wellington Koo and his friend: Jare perturbed because the disunity Canton has telegraphically land proudly underlined has been used by Japan to China's detriment in Europe. Perhaps Canton is right and and the earnest, trio are exercising themselves unduly. The wheel has come. nearly a full turn and Japan is reconsidering many arguments lof which much play was being made in Geneva a year ago, There is that awkward wol joyeott" for example. In any case General Chen Chi-tang will stoutly stand for the right of signing circular telegrams. If Viscount Snowden can be permitted in the House of Lords to tell the world how disappointed he is with Mr. Ramsay Mac-_ Donald, if Mr. David Lloyd George, at some fabulous dollar irate per word, can put on paper this sincere conviction that one [British statesman at least could Ibe confidently relied upon to pull ithe world, to say nothing of the [United States of America out of ithe deepest of deep depression: why should General Chen Chi-tang be denied the privilege of signing his name on a telegram form? No reasonable person lean deny the persuasiveness of this argument. Whether it helps to. unravel the tangled skein of Nanking's~ relations with the North, with Canton, with Szechuen and with Charhar
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.