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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[September 101
SECTION 1.0
7063
REC REG & FEB 18
[176805]
(No. 244.) Sir,
No. 1.
Mr. Alston to Mr. Balfour.-(Received September 10.)
Peking, August 6, 1917. IN continuation of my despatch No. 235 of the 30th ultimo, I have the honour to report that General Feng Kuo Chang arrived at Peking on the 1st instant, as I informed you in my telegram of that date. He at once called on General Li Yuan Hung and endeavoured to persuade him to resume the office of President. definite refusal (which was a foregone conclusion), Feng proceeded to the presidential mansion, where he took up his residence.
On his
General Feng's predecessor, President Li Yuan Hung, will go down to history as a man who, despite the many mistakes he has made, endeavoured to do the right thing, but who failed through inability to gauge correctly the situation and by following wrong advice. He came into the position-as probably no other President will- supported by every political faction; but, despite his sterling honesty, he was not fitted mentally or by experience for the great position into which he was thrust.
On assuming the presidency he had to face an empty exchequer, and to work with an administrative machine the component parts of which were tugging against one another. Under such conditions it was necessary that the chief executive should be a man of great force of character and of administrative and political experience. General Li, however, has shown himself lacking in those qualities of statesmanship and firmness of purpose necessary to bring about unity in the country or to compel his authority by forceful methods. Swayed this way or that by the numerous advisers who surrounded him, his indecision allowed this party or that to be dominant for the time being, and then lost him the support of both sides because he upheld neither of them for any length of time.
This brought about parliamentary crises, a deadlock between Parliament and Cabinet, the dismissal of Premier Tuai Chi Jui, and subsequently the dissolution of Parliament. Owing to his firm belief in the ultimate victory of Germany, General Li was throughout personally opposed to the policy of war with that country. When, however, the Tuan Chi Jui Cabinet decided that it would be to China's advantage to enter the lists against Germany he agreed to place the measure before Parliament, but he did so in such a grudging and half-hearted manner that the majority of parliamen tarians took it to mean that he was placing the question before them under pressure, and that they would best serve him by refusing to come to a decision on the subject. With the holding up of the war messure started the real fight which brought about the recent monarchy farce. The Military Governors demanded a revision of the parlia- mentary laws and regulations, and when this was refused they declared their indepen- deuce. The Chang Hsun incident followed next and then the restoration. General Li obstinately refused to take any decided action of his own or to permit others to do so, with the result that he became more and more incapable of controlling the course of events.
After being considered by the Radical party the pillar of republicanism, his dissolu- tion of Parliament at Chang Hsun's behest robbed him of their support. For purposes of political intrigue they may now pretend that they have forgiven him for that lapse und that they still consider him to be the shining light of constitutionalism, but it is not difficult to give to such pretence its true value.
To sum up: Li Yuan Hung bas failed to make good as President, and has lost the magnetic influence which in his case at one time showed signs of making up for his lack of other qualities. I have no reason to doubt that, himself aware of this, he will continue to refuse again to allow himself to be a candidate for a position of leadership in this country.
Since General Feng's assumption of office his time has been occupied with Cabinet Councils, and the question of the declaration of war on Germany has been upper- It has now been given out that this step will be taken within ten days or a fortnight.
most.
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