The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-01
CHINESE PRESIDENT MAKES STRONG PLEA
 FOR UNITED ACTION
Dishonesty of Public Of ficials a Serious Menace to Country in Time of
 Peril, He Says


 Associated ess)-President Yuan Shh
 kai uttered at recent cabinet meeting
 an impressive plea for united action in
 China, which made deep impression
 English today caused much discussion
 among foreigners. The Picking Gazette
 characterizes the address as "Couched
 in the usual language of over emphasis"
 but makes no attempt to discount the seriousness of the dishonesty and ineffi- ciency of Chinese officials. which the President denounced as a great menace to
 the republic at a time when outside pres
 sure is threatening
 Our, suzerainty in southern Manchura
 has gradually gone into the hands of for
 ogners." said the President. 'The for
 eign aggressor has come to their doors
 but our people are still dillydallying in
 the midst of calamities. As I am ad- vanced in age and have received the sa- cred and weighty trust from the Tsing
 dynasty, how can let the country so to
 ruin when I am assuming the duties of
 chief executive of the republic? By all
 means, I must save the country. To avert
 the impending disaster is the sacred duty
 which lies upon the shoulders of every
 one of us.'
 President Yuan Shih Kai is less than 60
 years of age, and in the best of heath
 consequently his allusion to his old age is
 largely fgurative.
 Sorrow comes. into my heart whenever
 review our present situation" were the
 opening words of the Presidents appeal to the cabinet
 Policy Attacked
 .It seems to me that the general policy
 of the nations of the world is to conquer a weak country; to invade the country
 which has forfeited the confidence of the other nations; to force order upon the country which is in state of chaos and to take over by force the country which is on the verge of ruin. In other words, as many foreigners claim 1t is the heavenly duty for the strong and civil ized nation to annex and control na- tion which Is barbarous. or semi-civlizcd. Our country does not manifest any sign of instability, chaos, or the lack of confidence of other nations. and 1t Is most unlikely that any nation for the present will invade or insult our country. But when we think of the neglect of disci-
 pline by our soldiers the irregularities in administration affairs. the calamities of floods, and drouth, throughout the pro vinces, the selfishness of some officials. and the lack of public spirit among the people, we cannot help realizing the fact that we are enjoying ourselves while re- posing on bed of straw, with a kindlng fire beneath it. How many of us know the strength of our nation, the tenden- os1 4f AnIa Nha ditions of the world? What portion of our country has been free from the dis turbance and molestation of the bandit and outlaws, and what percentage of. the officials are enthusiastic and strictly carry out their duty?''
 After deploring what he regarded as the many shortcomings of China, the President continued:
 Some persons say that on account of our vast country and population. the destruction of our country by an alien people is matter of impossi- oility Look at Corea, the area of which is not smaller than Japan. Some Japanese papers have stated of late that although China has changed the monarchy into a republican form of government, her internal affairs are Just as deplorable now as in the late | dynasty, and that bribery and gamb- lMg among officials still prevail. People Wrought Up During the hino-Japanese war and the Boxer uprising our people were greatly stirred up and determined to lie on straws and taste the bitter 1 ness to prepare themselves for future emergencies. But when the anxious l time was once passed they forgot ev-
 erything. It is worth while to note that when the imperial government was gone 1t was the dynasty that passed away and not the country. The new | method of destroying country nova days Is not Nnly to overthrow the gov | ernment, but also to destroy the Ian l guages of the people and the very race l of the nation.
 We cannot be ignorant of the his l tory of Poland and Amman. During the crisis of the recent Chino-Japanese me- | gotiations, it was a good sign that our people were great awakened by the threatened calamity. Should they again quickly forget the indignity the coun- | try received the greater calamity of the country is bound to come"
 1 President Yuan Shih Kai concluded l with this warning:
 Now the situation of our country 1 is comparable to a small boat wander 1 ing on a wild sea. It is not the time l for us to pursue our pleasures and let ! things drift skipperless into the course I of destruction. Above all do not for get the national disgrace of May 7th. lake off your easy garment and cast away your habitual 1aziness and so ahead with all your effort to avert the fate of impending disaster, so as to ~I. tl.1