July 20, Dr. L. Rajchman, as was expected, "has been' appointed a delegate to China for co-ordina tion of the technical advisory work now being carried out in this country by invitation of the Government of China and under the auspices of the League of Nations. Dr. Rajehman's sympa~ thy with China is as well-known as his great technical and politic-talents. "He has been. pre eminently associated with the League's activities here for some years, Indeed M. R. Haas and he may be said to be the pioneers of League ce-operation with China, "His ast visit was a hurried one only a few weeks ago. He is now to return in a capacity which will give full scope for the qualities Which he possesses, China's relationship with the league has had a chequered history. "In the early days of China's membership there was considerable diffidence on both sides. The internal conilitions of China prevented the League from pressing its services too insistently forward, China, on her side, was by no means inclined to welcome any form of guidance with which, Jin the past, certain inconve lent obligations or disabilities were associated. Moreover there were embarrassing pauses in the Geneva-Nanking duct because China seemed to be under the impression that_a permanent seat on the Council was the Tiighest benefit to be secured by a nation at the hands of the League, It was not properly appreciated at that time that the Assembly of the League on whose support China has since Icarnt to set some store was by no means favourably disposed toward the principle of permanent Council seats, Indeed, except for the provisions of the Convenant, it is unlikely that there will be any extension of the number of permanent seats. So China havered. She nearly withdrew from the League, She certainly got into arrears of payment of her dues—a defect which has lately been fully remedied. However, the contacts established: in 1929 and, later in 1931,
sides, broke down the reserve of both The Chinese Government's creation of a National Economic admirable point the League's ex-'There came the political arising out of the Manchurian crisis, 'That bound China more closely to the League. 'Owing to the implications of the Assembly's Report of February 24, 1933, on the Manchurian affair, it' has also placed the League in very special relationship to China. The need for coordination of the activities of the technical experts lent by the League has long been apparent. M. Charron recently was deputy ed to study the situation and report direct to Geneva, Presumably he has done so' and Dr. Rajehman's new mission is the direct outcome. Dr. Rajchman will have the sincere goodwill of all in his arduous task. He has the confidence of the Chinese Government. His professional attainments ive him an assured standing with the public generally. In the past the prevailing uncertainties in China communicated themselves in some measure to the experts sent out from Geneva. At times there was an amazing failure to consult, the right men on the spot, At times the tinge of brahminical super-ferity showed itself or was thought to be discerned. ip actions or obiter dicta of the strangers from Geneva. Misunderstandings arose. Dr. Rajchman was not free from this tim of circumstances mainly beyond his control.
Yet there|- can no doubt of his ability, enthusiasm and eagerness to work for China. It hoped therefore that, profiting by the guidance of past experilence, Dr. Rajehman will be able to obtain on all sides the support which he deserves. He can assured that any effort which the may care to make will be met more than half way.
The advantage of the League's assistance lies in no small degree in its entire freedom from political conditions. When China lasks the League for expert ad-Wvisers those advisers come to give China advice without making on her claims in diminution lof her sovereignty. The other day Mr, Wang Ching-wei right ly repudiated the notion that the lengayement of League experts was_in any way based on the principle of regional spheres of influence. It wottld be futile to pretend that every use has been made or can be made of the experts 30 far provided. That is exactly one of the chief reasons for Dr. Rajchman's appointment. He should be able to survey the. field with the practised eye of the technical expert and say' where it can bear the weight of jan adviser and where it must be left alone, for the time being. The Government of China may Heel that it would like to have an authoritative summing up of leertain problems. That summing-up is not of the slightest use if action upon it cannot be practically undertaken. Some of! the schemes put forward by the League's experts have been well within the financial and admini: trative capacity of the country—the road-making projects and certain co-ordinated activities - of public health for example. lethers however have not been more than admirable counsels of perfection. They have been. equivalent in their practicability the advice of the Harley Street physician who tells a labouring man to send away his sick wife to the Riviera for six months. Generally these errors may be said to be mainly-the product inexperience on both aides. The decision to have a report from IM. Charron showed that point iwas "duly seized at Geneva. A great deal of valuable work has been done in. addition to the oad-making and public health enterprises already mentioned. The Educational Experts' Mission, the splendid work of the infdefatigable M. Borcic, the loan lof the flood-repairing services of Sir John Hope-Simpson, may be specially noted. The " appointment of a Committee to take a direct interest in China's require. ments ig.a step in the right direction. It has been promptly followed by giving Dr. Rajchman a remarkable opportunity to voordinate the League's work here. Expectation of rapid results will not be favoured. The Commit tee's ultimate influence on China' welfare may however be far-reaching, A better appreciation lof the Government's difficulties has been obtained by study of the Lytton Report and of the: material supplied by various in-léependent investigators from Geneva. For one thing it probably agreed that concentration of expert effort on a regional larea_of manageable proportions is preferable to a would-be comprehensive embracement of the Reographical vastness to which the name of China is given. The work of the National Economic Council in linking up the seven "home" provinces in a roadmakjing scheme is indicative of the right line of practical and modest faction. It may well give Dr. Rajehman the inspiration requir-for his important task Facile optimism regarding the future is not to be encouraged. Even now the rift between Can-{ton and Nanking—to say nothing jof the irritating complications at Dolonor—may at any time precipitate conditions which prevent leven the friendly operations of the League from smoothly developing. Dr. Rajchman well-equipped to face those diffi jeulties and, if only for that reason, both the League and the /Government of China are to be congratulated on the appointment which he has accepted.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.