Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-03
CH|NA'S PROGRESS
AS A REPUBLIC
Doing To Aid the
Allies.
LABORERS BACK OF LINE
Great Army of Chinese Workers
Sent to Do Repair
Work.
LABORERS BACK OF LINE
ny GENERAL HANG rscHENG.

her disposal. Of desiring to cooperate in
n military capacity with her European
allies. and yet OF being utterly unable
TO throw her troops into the European
battle zone owing to the absence OF
transportation facilities. l have on
various occasions Travelled by the
Trans-Siberian Railway from Hardin
to Pctrograd. both during and before
the war. and as recently as this au-
tumn. and my belief is that the rail-
way system is entirely inadequate for
tho conveyance of large bodies of
troops from the Far East to the west.
II Is were possible for England,
America or France to supply the
Chinese republican government with
ships, there Is no doubt that the will
of the government and OF the Chinese
people would favor active military
participation in the great conflict.
Much sentiment exists in China at
the present day in respect of the as
pirations of the allied powers. A feel
ing akin to repugnance is almost
everywhere noticeable in China to-
wards Germany's autocratic system OF
government. The vigorous repub-
licanism OF my fellow-countrylnen finds
a parallel in the free and enlightened
countries of the entente. For long we
have been aware OF the amicable motives
and a spirit Of friendship towards the
three great powers who are the main
spring OF liberty, and incidentally the
protectors OF the weak and small ma
tions Of the world.
The moment China passed from the
phase of severed diplomatic relations
to state Of war with Germany, all
the subjects Of the Kaiser within the
borders OF republican China were in
termed or placed under the strictcst
surveillance While the discussion OF
political questions does not come
within my province as a soldier, there
Is no doubt that the Germans placed
upon their Far Eastern annexatIons a
value of the highest Importance.
Prince Won BueIow, for example, takes
the view that Tsingtau was the most
important Of all Germanys Eastern
colonies. In the autumn Of 1897 the
German landing at Kiauchau took
place
GERMANS CONTINUE TO
LhND FAR EAST
Tt was quite true" tho prince has
written. that the fact that we estab-
lished ourselves on the coast of China
was directly and intimately connected
with our naval program, and was our
first practical step along the path OF
world politics. A few weeks after
this we concluded the Shantung treaty
with China, which was one of the
most significant actions OF modern
German history, and one which
secured for us "a place in the sun in
the Far East on the shores of the
Pacific Ocean,"
Prince Won Buelow expresses this
hope that through this war Germany
has not lost forever her position in
the Far East.
while we are somewhat cut or
owing to tho dearth OF ships, we are.
nevertheless. SO far as food supplies
are concerned. we'll able to feed our
selves. and In this respect. indeed. we
are somewhat better Off than most OF
our great allies Certainly food in
China is dearer. perhaps because of
the general slackness in trade with
the outside world.
In addition to the shortage of ships
the almost complete absence Of the
means OF transport-our government,
while anxious to align itself with the
other allied governments. is checked
In It's desire to enter upon military
operations on tie grand scale owing
to the expense. Chinese finances are
not in the best Of state-a fact due
to the revolution, among other causes.
CHISA's MILITARY POSITION
NOT GREAT ENOUGH NOW
The Chinese navy Is not great
enough to do much in the present war.
1t is to the army that we must look
with some confidence. Fifty divisions
are actually mobiiized, whilo an extra
100000 to 100000 troops are scattered
about the provinces. There is prob
ably an Inadequate supply OF NUM-
tions and other military necessities.
With regard to other Far Eastern
states, we arc In more or less accord
and sympathy with them. The Siamcse,
for instance, are friendly towards us.
feel bound to say that the Chinese
railway systems were better supplied
with rolling stock and were better
governed and worked. even before the
Russian revolution, than the Trans
Siberian Railway. We indeed are ca
pable OF throwing conside rable num-
bers Of republican troops anywhere
within the borders Of China. or
course, CONSUMPTION is unknown In my
country; all the men are volunteers.
We have studied very closely tho
principles OF military training in
Europe, and from these principles,
irrespective Of the country In which
they were first applied, We have drawn
lessons which we have adapted to our
own requirements. Most OF our troops
are in the north OF China. In the
south. while an understanding is likely
to be reached by the authorities at
Canton and the central government In
Picking. there is still lack OF har-
mony between tho two. The Canton
provisional government has not yet
come to an end. And the Importance
of Canton must not be ignored, since
It abounds in wealth: