June 15, History can repeat itself; th process is apt at times stable and, in truth, illusory. 'The present crisis in' the politi-al fortunes of the Government! naturally evokes' comparison with previous crises of the same Kind, Last year's Northern campaign, which so narrowly averted disaster, encourages speculation om the chances of another Canton march, with the defeated or—_outmanceuvred elements in the North taking advantage of, the opportunity for] revenge, The Kuomintang writer, Mr. Tang Leong-li, in his "Inner History of the Chinese Revolution," placidly forecast ast year:' "A new period of civil disturbances in sight which can only be ended by decisive victory of the Left." Mr. Tang is an able student of affairs but, admittedly, a fierce critic of the' present regime at Nanking. While he could argue that the Canton split vindicated—the' soundness of his prophecy, it would be. difficult to agree that: dhe omens entirely favoured hi deductions: The news from the South indicates that the Left wing politicians are finding the task of reassuring their new adherents exceedingly -dimeutt Mr. Wang Ching-wel, before now, has been at pains to prove thi his Reorganizationist principl are, in no. sense, Communist Mr, Tang himself, took ome space in this journal last, year to prove that pink was in no danger of being red. 'That being the influx of communists into Canton must be as embarrassing! to Mr. Wang Ching-wei and Mr. Eugene Chen as it is to the more conservative elements, who were anxious to indicate their' disapproval of the Government In the light of the successes gained by the communist armic in Kiangsi and Fukien, it throws into the the pitiful almost academic diffe pinion which hay threatened China with a major political crisis, The Government have made it perfectly clear that they look upon the communist menace as their first preoccupation. Their spokesmen have gore further. With a frankness which reveals the seriousness of the position, they have admitted that the communists -have recently gained striking. successes, The report of a threat to Foochow no idle rumour. The ability of the communist troops to take full advantage of the hilly country in which they operate, of their knowledge of the terrain and of] the greater mobility inherent! in guerilla warriors living on and merged in the people, presents! the Government commanders, with a military problem of supreme difficulty. General Chiang Kai-shek has announced that he! is proceeding to Kiangsi_ this week to take command of the operations. If this decision can be carried into effect it will be cly no means in excess of the demands of the situation. For the suppression of the red armies in Kiangsi the best military br which China possesses are required. 'The fear, however, is that] the political' imbroglio maj Prevent the President of the National Government from thus giving full attention to the call his military office of Commander-in-Chief, Thus,—while the Canton politicians are sett Sng among themselves the due apportionment of the offices which they desire to assume, the Communists are busily engaged fin an endeavour once more to make Canton red, and their corsvades in the field are exploit-Ang to the full the divi ment. It is asserted that the opposed to military operations against Nanking. It has been abundantly shown here that the Government have no desire to answer the Canton challenge "by force of arms, The belt of communist-ridden districts in between them and their objective would dissuade them from such an idea if it were entertained, just as it must seriously impede any mili tant aspirations on the part of Canton. Even more importantly the consensus of- that commercial opinion which has'so faithfully supported General Chiang Kaishek is strongly opposed to any military adventure, except one exclusively designed to eliminate the communist terror. It is maintained that the opposition to the Tientsin Customs wrote: Government is political—strong, serious and not altogether unjustified, but—political. It should be met by political _weapons. Otherwise the prospect is gloomy indeed, for, while Canton and 'Nanking are quarrelling, red] Jcommunism must inevitably gain ground to' the extinction of all hopes of building up a stable administration in China, While the Government may be on firm ground in imputing personal motives to. the adherence of certain of their opponents to the new Southern "cave," they would be ill-advised to scorn it on that account, They will, claim, no doubt with justice, that, in spite of many defects, they have endeavoured, as far as has been consistent with the political signifiernce of the material at their disposal, to breakaway of Canton has been fashion a governmental machine, examined, The position of the capable, in due course, of functioning by the light of the Three Principles. The claim should not be stressed to the point of rejecting the criticisms which, somewhat caustically, perhaps, have been brought against them. The mere fact that those criticisms have been made the basis of the new movement in Canton is indicative of some sort of public support for them in essence, Making all allowances amour the, resignation for the force of his provincial Dr. &.'G. Wa of his post Washington is a portent impossible to dismiss with airy! insouciance. By their action over the Customs difficulty, the Government have shown that they are not afraid to face facts—and that they are scrupulously solicitous for the welfare of the country. Is it not possible for them to carry magnanimity further in the same cause? They have displayed in their Northern policy a practical belies in the need for provincial autenomy, accompanied by a clear recognition of the general authority of the central Government, The federal idea, in its full implications, may mot be appropria. ate to China, There is ground for the assertion that provincial particularism is probably too strong for the establishment of unification without the most tolerant consideration for lo aspirations. By his attempt to inaugurate' a transitional, provisional Constitution, defective the it may be, General Chiang Kai-shek implicitly ad. mitted that the dominance of a single party in the Government had its weakness. Tt seemed unfortunate that the device to! which he resorted accentuated rather than diminished that weakness. The situation created! by Canton gives perhaps a good Jopportunity for retracing. his steps. Could not some gesture be forthcoming. to bring on to the plane of practical politics the solution of the present differences? Tu normal political controversy elsewhere a crisis iy|such as this would spell coalition. Here are'two political parties, off-spring of the same stock, at acute variance, yet fundamentally agreed on the goal to which China is pressing. While they are arguing there is a common enemy] actively making mischief and spreading devastation, with the sole object of delivering China bound hand and foot into those hands which have govietized Mon-are threatening the North, ity so potently cynic: rancour so irreconcilable, is pique paralysing the National Govern-'as deep-rooted that no com- not completely cover the service!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.