Enclosure No. 1.
3
Translation.
(Extract from the Kwok Man San Man, Canton, 17th Feb., 1927)
Borodin's Speech in the Co-operative Commercial Association
in Hankow.
Let me take the liberty, gentlemen, of introducing myself to you, before I say anything further. When anybody offers to sell anything to us, we must first know what man he is, and similarly when anyone addresses us, we must know what manner of man he is. Four years ago Dr. Sun Chung Shan, the Father of China, and the Leader of the Chinese Revolution, asked me to come to China to assist him to re-organise the Kuomintang. Later I was appointed Advisor to the Kuomintang and the Nationalist Government. I have been in China for four years during which I have passed through all sorts of difficulties and hardships. During this period of difficulties and hardships, I have done my best to give my comrades the benefit of my experience with all frankness and sincerity. Though my help might not have been entirely useful, yet I hope that nobody will say that I have not
been sincere and frank.
I am very glad to have the opportunity of addressing you merchants. Though I have indeed much to say to all of you, yet as to-day is a holiday it is not convenient that I should speak at length and I shall therefore confine my remarks to a few headings. I hope that a further opportunity will soon occur of discussing things with you at greater length.
It will take some time before the Nationalist Goverment can be removed to Peking. But as long as the Government remains here, I shall be here too. We must all realise that the Past is mother to the Present; the Present is the legacy of the Past, and the Future will be brought to birth by the Present. Let us
look