Tun cupstse RevOtetIox."—By_ Arthur THU Holcombe, Cambridge? Heevacd University Press.
In order to understand and to appreciate the present position of political movements in China, knowledge of the form of the government of the country by the Manchu Emperors, and of the course -of events following the overthrow of the Empire is of great assistance. The author has adopted this course and very clearly and in some detail laid. this information before the reader. The book is excellent in its historical aspect. The Manchu Empire in its three hundred years of power governed the country by means not of a Inrge number of Coffcials but principally by leaving the conduct of local affairs to the persons of the districts and villages. The officials were responsible to the Emperor but for many; purposes the actual government of the country was left to the inhabitants in each district. The mandarmate was recruited' solely by €x-amination, and. classical scholars. When the Manchu dynasty collapsed 1911 it is not dificult to realize the chaos that ensued, The "Son of Heaven" the head to whom all Jooked up including the mandarinate was one and at first there was no. cone (0 take his place. The views of the mandarins trained under a system not suitable to modern conditions also were in conflict with the scholars educated in modern theories. The eritigs who are prone to fault finding perhaps do not realize the task that lies before the Republienn Officials who are not. striving to build up a stable government on the principles annunciated by the founder of the Revolution, Sun Yat Sen, The first attempt of the Revolutionaries was by means of a Parliamentary Republic; that failed when Yuen Shi-Kai_ seized the power in Peking, and in 1913 those Who opposed him were defeated, Followed years of uncertainty, of opposition by the Repub-Tieans' to the rule of the Tuchuns uring which Sun Yat Sen and those who believed in him never gave up hope though at times. the outlook seemed hopeless. The whole aspect. of the Revolution changed when Sun Yat Sen combined with the Soviets. Canton became the rallying ground for all revolutionaries. It is. not necessary to set out in detail the! events which culminated in the success of the Nationalists and the downfall of the Militarists; these are fully dealt with by the author. The struggles of the various parties within the Kuomintang ending in the defeat of the Communists. at Hankow and the break with the Soviets bring the tale down to the supremacy of the Nanking Government, the National Government of Chinn as recognized by the Powers. The officials of that Government. and the determination of which' would enable the Government to carry on the work of bettering the] welfare of the masses.
Again it can be said that is easy but progress is certain and tone need not despair of success 1 out of the present uncer tainty. To the well wishers of this country a change now in the form of government would seem to spell disaster. The author deals dispassionately and fairly with the criticism that the Chinese are unable to govern themselves, and con-the qualities gf those nations who are and those who are not deemed fit to enter the League of Nations. After all a she points out the Chinese were governed successfully for generations and their institations were the model for many of the other countries in the Far East.
He makes some ments on the views of various authors who have dealt with the subject of this capacity of the Chinese to govern themselves.
This isa book which should be in the library of any one who desires to have a knowledge of the trend of events in China and to be able to appreciate the present political position as bearing on the future. The author has dealt fully bhut yet concisely with the government of the country before the Revolution, the course of events immediately following that change, the rale of the militarists, the growth of the Nationalist party and the struggle of the various groups in that party ending in the remacy of the Centre party of the Kuomintang, those who are now in power at Nanking. The writings of Sun Yat Sen are fully debated as also the efforts of the present Government to put those ws in force. As the author finally points out the success or otherwise of the Government is vitally important to the peace of the world. The old concert of powers is gone and interference with domestic polities in China by any one power might well bring. about a serious state of affairs. The Chinese find the tutelage of the powers irksome and demand equality by the abolition of extraterritorial rights. Agreement between China and the powers on. these two points so much depends: fon the present government getting. and maintaining a firm hold on the country. The author is wise enough, not to enter into the realm of prophecy but his views whether one agrees with them or not are worthy of note: if one is inclined to dissent at any rate one has views ennunciated which cause one to ponder.
A very useful series of appendices: are annexed to the book which in clude the will and writings of San Yat Sen as also the constitution of the Republic of China promulgated by the Kuomintang. have learnt by adversity and the force of circumstances in the course of years valuable lessons in the art of government and are now follow. ing the principles of the founder the revolution. The country to-day is certainly not settled but. these principles are possibly slowly but nevertheless certainly being me culated in the minds of the people. One factor would seem to be on standing and that is that no mille tarist can hope to. make himself supreme for long. Many have tried ince 1912, Where are they now?
jun Yat Sen in his writings laid down the three stages to be gone through before the Republic could be settled on a firm foundation.
'The military period, political tutelaye of the masses' and then constitutional government. So far as it can the Nationalist' Government with its Five Power Constitution carrying out that process, Tt is tuarning officials all ever the coun: try and devoluting so far safe certain junctions of govern ment to provincial authorities. Much remains to be done. More trained officials are wanted, the Kuomintang itself must be reorganized by the admission of other parties than the Centre party, the power of the militarists must finally broken, the euperdiuous soldiery put to better use, and. the finances of the country reorganized; the latter two matters perhaps being of the greatest importance
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.