The report that the German Government considers that the constitution of the new gov" ernment of the, Republic of China does "not modify'Germany's relations with General Chiung Kalshek whose government Germany con= tinues to regard as the sole legal one in China,' seems to be a very definite answer to. the Japanese contention" that with the fall of Nanking the National Government has itz authority reduced to that of purdy regional tone. 'The capture of a country's capital does: not necessarily mean anything of the sort, Had. Germany captured Paris in. the early. weeks of the Great War, when there appeared to be 8 grave danger of' such an occurrence, It would not have meant the collapse of the French Government which had prepared to establish Hiself elsewhere. Nor did the capture of Pretoria during the Boer War bring about either the collapse of the Transvaal Govern ment or and of hostilities. The Government of Chiang Kai-shek will continue so longa commands the loyalty of the Chinese and the recognition of the friendly Powers even though the area over which it might exert its authority might, be considerably reduced by the military action of Japan. That, however, does not influence the contention that it Is desirable that peace should be restored as quickly as possible and that China should take ino full account the deplorable realities of the situation. Militarily China is in no. position offer resistance with any human prospect fof victory in the field. Millions of homeless Chinese with nothing but destitution, hunger and disease before them are fleeing before the Japanese invasion. Prospects of ultimate success might justify a continuance of hostilities, but no country fights to the last man. 1 struggles until the situation becomes militarily impossible, and then, realizing the facts, seeks to make the best of a bad Job, knowing that the loss of one war does not necessarily ter~ minate a nation's struggles.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.