Apr. 21.
The recently held National' Emergency Conference does not seem to have produced any immediate clarification of the internal political situation in China. The public's preoceupation with the peace negotiations in Shanghai has, to some extent, Iset up a screen behind which the. doings of the National Govern-Jment are but dimly seen. Mr. Wang Ching-wei's personality is {for the moment strongly to the fore. His conduct of the Emergency Conference at Nanking showed that he was able
Jque which carried through the, [People's Conference in the same place nearly a year ago. true that he was presented from Shanghai and Peking with distinct signs of anti-Kuomintang hostilities. He did not make the mistake of pretending to ignore that development, although his attempt to belittle its significance iwas hardly convincing. It may be held to have served its immediate purpose. If it enables the Kuomintang leaders to give serious attention to the dissatisfaction induced by their failure to cope with the internal difficulties of the country and their ignominious display the development of Sino-Japanese Hrriction, they may yet be able to ply their undoubtedly effective party organisation to the strengthening of the Govern-Iment's administrative powers.
says much for the present Government—formed as it has been almost on a coalition basi —that Mr. Wang Ching-wei has been able to work smoothly with General Chiang Kai-shek, who although holding a nominally. minor post, has regained a good deal of his prestige.
'At the moment the present Kuangtung Government, under General Chen Chitang, believed to be on good terms with Mr. Hu Han-min is still pondering over events and, from occasionally' ex-views. Dr. C. C. Wu is building his paradise at Hainan fand on that account, appears to have withdrawn from the fray. Mr. Sun Fo, closely in touch with Mr. Eugene Chen in Shanghai, is exercising a v from definite intentions. far he is to be credited with the power of regaining the ground which he so rapidly lost on appointment, for a very brief time, to the Presidentship of the Executive Yuan, is an open question. Up in the North General Han Fu-chu holds the key in Shantung. He is an uncertain entity. General Yen Lis! Jshan and Marshal Feng Yuhsiang are considered by some to be wending their way to political vian but dogmatism on that point is unwise. The Emergency Conference is reported to have demanded the arraignment of Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang on Jaccoant of the loss of Manchuria, The motion was probably a gesture. Serious reflection would suredly suggest that the attempt to put it into effect }hi might have unfortunate results in the North. It would also be inadvisable while the Lytton Commission is in the process of endeavouring to discover " the facts on which such an indict. ment would presumably be General Chiang Kai-shek's position is enigmatic. He is disconsiderable political ifts which find expression cooperation with Mr. Wang. Ching-wei, There past history toms to be erased. Mr. Wang Ching-wei is, sonorously and with no little dignity, voicing the passionate resentment of China fin the present crisis. He is achieving that feat without embarrassing the peace negotiations which, so far as can be judged, must have precedence over all Jother considerations just now. General Chiang Kai-shek, re-' maining in Nanking, is believ-led to be closely in consultation with the President. lof the Executive Yuan and the Minister for Foreign Affairs jon the There is lof expenditure—Ministers, example, are drawing" but Jnominal' salaries—and there is also a healthy, if tacit, recognition of some of the more glaring lerrers of the past. It would be rashly optimistic to suggest that there is to be an instant attempt. to tackle the relations of the Kuomintang with the Govern-Iment or that a reversal of what. may be called the anti-foreign policy can be straightway put into operation. The elements against which the Government! thas to contend are so strongly' affected by an anti-foreign bias that it may be difficult to per-Jsuade them that there lies the toot of their digiculties, It retake a sympathetic view ofthe. Government's pi i sible means of expression.
Isonal factors have aot lost their dangerous potentialities, The Hinaneial position is so desperate that it is indeed a source of wonder to find the Government* lable to carry on at all. But adversity has its uses—and its lessons. Perhaps therein lies the key to the situation and to ithe steady calmness now presented at Nanking.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.