Mar. 14.
The return of Mr, Hu Han-Nanking marks another stage in the recent political controversy which has naturally aroused interest in China and outside. It is gathered that Mr. Hu Han-min is not likely to leave the Capital for some time, although his disagreement with' the Government appears to be complete. There has been criticism of the actions which have thus restricted the movements of the ex-President of the Legislative Yuan, The criticism has come with some vehemence from Kuomintang circles outside China, It has not been entirely Jacking in comments made in China. It is natural perhaps that ardent Kuomintang followers should be disinclined take a long view. To them the Kuomintang is perhaps more important even than the ends which it was originally designed to serve. They may, therefore, be expected to press, for all that it is worth, the ar ment that the dispute whick has arisen places in some jeopardy the Principles governing the Party itself and the Goverament drawn from that party, It is inevitable, however, that others should be' more inclined to look the apparently paramount meeds of the actu situation inch China, No one would pretend that, in spite of the settlement of the differences with the North and the rapprochement with Mukden, the Government have any easy row to hoe. The protests coming vigorously from across the Pacific and from London in regard to the internal conditions of the provinces must add weight to the fecting that the most urgent problem before the Government is the restoration of some semblance of order to blot out the indescribable state of chaos produced by the bandit tyranny, Even more cogent in its influence must be the knowledge, gained from the reports available through departmental, sources, of the lamentable plight of district after district unable—to find a single cheering prospect on the immediate horizon.
In such conditions a Government must feel that the purely political aspect of certain controversies should not be giv too great importance, The country cannot be lightly exposed to the risk of further futile struggles and, uprisings. 'The plan of making the Peoples Conference in May next a pos-jo medium for the introduction of a halfway house to some form of representative government must, in the event, depend on political solidarity.' If, for example, Mr. Hu Han-min, dissatified with the decisions' which led to his resignation, were disposed to attempt to review them in the possibly more congenial Atmosphere of Canton the advantages accruing from frank political discussion might disastrously outweighed by the encouragement given to the development of fissiparous influences at this critical juncture, Recently the Government took' steps to ensure between Kuangtung and Kuangsi a settlement which was calculated to take into account local feeling and to reconcile it with the general policy of Nanking, without inflicting too strict a control on the Provincial authorities. The success of that measure remains to be proved. It might be irretrievably damaged if further: opportunities were given for the aSsertion of the discordant note.
In the North the situation at Shansi cannot be any more palatable to the Government than to the Young Marshal. The dificult problem of disbandment is complicated by the, shortage! of available money. The same prosaic factor is responsible for the delay in' coming to final grips with the bandits of the Middle Yangtze and elsewhere.
these circumstances thi Government must of necessity take short cuts, They know the danger of sitting too firmly on the safety valve; yet they' cannot pretend that conditions justify the handling of political issues as if their outcome were entirely dependent on political strategy. They can, with rea son perhaps, contend that those who differ from them are 20 readier in the last resort to, rely on political arbitrament. Tt would not be surprising, therefore, if they regarded their own existence as wrapped up in the problem of extricating China from the present difficulties and held the view that, in such circumstances, the voice of political opposition must be relegate ed toa minor key. They have Succeeded in the space of just under four years in creating a semblance of unification. Its tenuity which they probably would frankly recognize would give the argument for refusal the outward confronting unmistakable—guise, there can be no great wonder that they reject the adoption of political devices or dogmas which seem to tie their hands and, therefore, make their task difficult if not impossible. This much should be accounted to them for righteousness; that task has elements of supreme diticulty and they have faced it with @ courage to which even their bitterest opponents might. testify. If the success which 30 far attended their efforts becomes merged in complete may be possible that the steps which have temporarily perturbed certain of, their friends may ultimately be regarded as inevitable and, indeed, the outcome of prudent, if forceful, realism.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.