1937-07-21 — Page 10

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THE CHINA MAIL, JULY 21, 1937.

The China Mail

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left to his son well-drilled Anny a large collection of loot, and the responsibility of govern- ing and protecting Manchuria. In a few years his son had disor- ganised the Army and by his rapacity and dissolute extravag ance provided the Japanese, with BA Wyndham Street, Hong Korg, as many excuses for intervention as they could want. As they ad- vanced the protecting army could only retreat. And the fact that he took over the control of Pei- ping gave to the forward party, who had many scores to settle excuse for following him into China Proper. Why was he restored to com- mand? Why is he spoken of for All communications intended for command in the present conflict? publication should be addressed to The Sian incident

that if

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fully misunderstood the whole "the Writer's Name and Addressituation. If he could not con- not necessarily for insertion but trol them, the less General he

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Nationalist ambitions, which may be a curse to closely organ- ised nations, is a beneficent force in China, where the alternative is a reign of banditry and graft and ineffective defence. It is of course a sentiment that grows slowly. The only cheering as-

that pect of the Sian affair is after doing immense harm to the authority of the Republican Gov- Hong Kong, Wednesday, July 21, 1937. ernment, in the spirit of the old

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sectionalism, mixed motives be gan to appear, and the rebel Gen- PREDICTIONS IN eral had not the moral courage CHINA - POLITICS to push his advantage to the end. It was merely a matter of luck that the Generalissimo was not Non-committal peregrinations killed in the process of capture round the subject are the only That would

have

done certain way of not being wrong Young General” no good, and the about the course of events in the country great harm. The method Sino-Japanese

nese crisis. Conclusions of capture, was the worst pos- based upon information available sible preparation for negotiation, at any given moment are subject and it is fairly clear that without to variation almost within the the patient intervention of hour, so conflicting are reports, great man's very capable wife so difficult is it to predict what nothing could have happened but either party to the conflict or the deadlock. At the same time the leading personalities in the con- Young General from the first flict will do.

addressed his captive as “Gener- The Central Government appears alissimo" The inconsistency determined in its attitude, but is was important, because in the known to be anxious to avoid course of time the title created a major conflict and its decision if habit of obedience, as is natural. presented with a fait accompli. It only remains to add that the admittedly Japan's chief aim în eight demands put forward and the Tientsin negotiations, cannot subsequently abandoned were be guaranteed ahead of the event, partly impossible of fulfilment One of the reasons for foreign and partly on the lines of the doubts is epitomised in Madame Government's policy, so the poli- Chiang Kai-shek's brochure, with tical incompetence was equal to its annexures of the Generalis the military. simo's diary of his, fortnight's Is it possible from detention at Sian: On the face confused

and unconventional of it it is a very brief and frank, story to draw any lessons almost – bild” natrativé - written in the art of dealing with without the blæst attempt at the Chinese diplomacy, which heroics, and- erving complete home-staying people in England confidence as an explanation of find so puzzling? That the diplo- what happened, and the motives mats are often very clever goes of the important people concern- without saying. It is hardly too ed. That may possibly be its effect much to say that China has reap- on Chinese readers, but to Euro ed more results from diplomacy peans it raises far more questions, unsupported by military, strength than it answers. When the than anybody else. It is also events 3 occurred it seemed diffi- true to say that China keeps cult to understand the working faith when it is not too difficult. of the minds of the politico-milit-| And yet nobody, quite knows how arist type of leader, The ex- far her premises and intentions planation makes it impossible. can be relied on. The explanation There is first of all the tem- seems to be that the strokes of perament and capacity of the cleverness are interwoven with Deputy Commander for the Sup unexpected streaks of naivete. pression of Banditry. "Set a thief For instance, when it was object- to catch a thief" is an old maxim, ed that Mr. 1.y. Soong should be but never so prominently acted refused, on account of his high upon as when this gentleman position, permission to go to who passes across the present Sian, the difficulty was overcome. stage with his honorific name of by arranging that he should go "Han Ching was placed at the as a private citizen.It is like head of a large army immediate arranging that Mr. Anthony Eden dy on his return from living in should go as a private citizen to Luxury in Rome on ill-gotten negotiate a treaty with Signor gains. His father who started Mussolini. There is no actual de- life with no pretensions to be ception perhaps, but Europeans other than a professional bandit, would suspect that there was a and at the head of his profession, catch in it.