Victor Gollancz, London.
Written, or rather, compiled by S. [Tretiakov, who was' teacher in the Russian College of the University of Peking and also author of "Roar, China," this tis one of the most out: [standing books ever written to reveal the mind of China's restless youth Tan Shih-hua is the son of a revol tionary family, his father being associated with Sun Yat-sen from the fatliest days. In Peking he met Tretiakov during the hectic years fol-Towing the Revolution in Russia and the first manifestations of Young [aimless in purpose it at least showed that great forces were at work. Politically, the field was rendered more tort by the uncertainty. of the educational grant and Russia's Jdecision to cancel the Tsarist treaties fand treat China on a basis of equallity. Another name was on the students' lips, Tt was Karakhan. A Russian Department was opened at the University. And meanwhile Wu Pei-tu and Chang Tso-lin fought for supremacy while in the ranks of the [Kuomintang dissension and disagceement occurred involving Tan's father find alto affecting his own educatonal existence in Peking" 'The May 30 Shooting in Shanghat' was' another element in the development of the JChina in political affairs. To faisturbea student mind and. Tan en. /Tretiakov he related his life history fee tically theow himself into." the Jand his family background and the feat propagandist campaign, which result is this testament which is an was waged throughout the country. Jamazingly frank and revealing docu-But slowly the realization was ment. How far the testament is [Tan's or how far it is the author's is dawning' on Tan. Feng Yurhstang, Chang Chung-chang, Yen Shihan impossible to state, Several chap-are names which fit across the pollters are interpolated, with acknow-feat" scene in China while the Kuo jledgement, to maintain the continuity mintang still appears weak and for after a long and active career in Jéccided. 'When the Peking Diplom: propagating radical doctrines 'Tan. tic Corps presented is note to Pre Jdisspoeared. That was in 1927 when sident Tuan Chi-jul demanding that was 26 years old, but there—is hho military' action take place in the the suspicion that he did not dis-'Tientsin area the students demon Jappear an China but returned to strated, stormed his palace and. the Russia, following the natural bent. guards' opened fre, killing a number Jwhich his tutor, Tretiakov, took for the student delegation. Alt around pains to leave undeveloped. him 'Tan saw what he believed to be 'Fundamentally, while giving an in-1 betrayal of his ideas and the Tula timate picture of family Ife in China Jwith-an abundance of details and of his country' by self seeking poll: teans and militarists. 'Even his best sidelights, "Chinese Testament" is friend, who had worked "with "the disillusionment. 'Throughout the People's Army and studied with bin narrative there is the development of in the early' days of the Russian Cole Jo revolutionary spirit which desires to create a belter state of things and lege, joined Chang" Tsung-chang's Russian" department. "Moscow was remedy the injustices of the present, but all ideas are wrecked on the beckoning very" appealingly. The struggle did not last Tong. Tan went [shallowness and inconstancy of human nature. As the son of a poor He to Russo and stayed there we years [but scholarly family, Tan is given as good an education as possible while thor says he disappeared into the hhis father his absent in Japan study-heart of the country. fang those ideas which led to the outbreak of the first revolution and ithe overthrow of the Manchu regime. ough the poll-tical bias would indicate that. there [The family then rose to power and powerful inspiration behind It, affluence but the whirligig of politi-'The book is a record of disillusion: cal change in China saw them once ment, not that the effort was not again proscribed during the coup worth while but that the source "of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.