South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-07-25

OF Japan's governmental policy?
That is something the people OF the
United States want to know 1t IS
something in which four hundred
million people on the continent of
Asia are vitality interested in know
ing. II is one OF the great world
questions OF the day. There are few
other political questions for which
the correct answer may be more sig
nificant.
In regarding the forces which are
at play in the Far East. There are
are other subsidiary questions which
are important. They are questions
cOmprehended before one can gain
any adequate conception OF the stu
alton in the Far East.
One OF these subsidiary questions
is in regard 10 the relation between
apan public opinion and the effec-
tive Japanese governmental policy.
One would like TO know how far
that policy is ultimately controlled
BY public opinion. One would like
10 know with some definiteness just
what are the relations between the
civil government of Japan and the
activities OF the military branch Of
the government Can the civil gov
eminent itself control the military
policy Is the military party still
in the ascendancy. or is its influence
and power of independent action de-
chning7
Many Collateral Questions.
The foregoing questions relate TO
Japan itself. There are, however,
many collateral Far Eastern ques-
tions, and some comprehension OF
those questions is necessary TO form
a background against which TO view
the answers that might be made re-
garding the Japanese governmental
policy.
Perhaps the foremost OF these
questions relating TO Asia would be
one which asked how complete is
the existing governmental paralysis
and political chaos in China. Mon
golia, Manchuria and Siberia? And
then, however complete that politi-
cal chaos might be found, are there
inherent elements in the political sit
uations in those vast territories
which give promise OF an ultimate
creation OF law and order from with
in; or must there be imposed from
the outside a strong hand and an in
of order is first brought out of
chaos2
At present II must be admitted
that In thise countries there is today
a population Of over 00.0O0,000 who
are existing without any adequate
system OF central government. In
much Of hiatt vast territory there is
a situation today which resembles
complete political disintegration. In
China itself there are many instances
where local government functions
fairly well, but there is / nthat vast
country no central government re-
ally worthy OF the name. The Off
Gals are said by the Chinese to be
weak, cunning, and corrupt. They
are without the real backing of the
people. They lack the cour-
age Tor autocracy and seem 10 have
little ability 70 rally the forces of
democracy. The country is divided
against itself. The North is arrayed
against the South. The Pekin OFF,
Gals lack the sense Of broad ma
tional patriotism. They are not
strong even in their own corruption.
They can be bought, but they some
times lack the courage to carry out
the details Of the purchase.
Weak In Outlying Districts.
In outlying provinces the hand
Of the central government is pal
sled the operation Of ls,w an dthe
of public safety have been
upset because some of the outlying
provinces are infested with bandits.
Instead Of a strong hand reaching
out from a central government 10
give law and order to such COM
lnunities, there have been cases
where compromise has been made
with bandit chiefs. Instead of hang
ing these bandit chiefs. there are
instances where Pekin officials have
made generals of them.
There is a Chinese army OF per-
haps million and a half soldiers.
They are unpaid, underfed, controll-
ed by a military clique not resuonsi-
BILE 10 the feeble military policy Of
Pekin.
Back Of all this chaos in China is
the experiment of converting the
oldest monarchy in the world, with
out intermediate steps. into a re-
public A new form OF government
has suddenly been offered TO 400,
100000 people, more than 80 per
cent OF whom are illiterate. They
live in a country most inadequately
furnished with transportation, wher
furnished with transportation,
where communication is hampered
not onlyby lack of physical means.
but by illitercay and a variety of
widely different dialects. Further
than that they are people who for
endless generations have felt little
patriotic relation TO centra GOVERN
ment authority.
Speak Twenty Dialects.
This vast population speaks more
than twenty widely varying dialects.
There is a written language intelh-
gible only 70 a few. 1t is quite diff
ferent from any spoken language
and II IS a closed book OF communi-
cation TO all but perhaps a i've per
cent minority.
Infiltrated into this political chaos
are spheres OF foreign influence, IN
Connection with which there have
been long histories OF devious diplo-
macwy and an unhayypycmfweypet
plomacy and an unhappy record OF
comm ercial contest.
means hopeless. Underneath this IN
The situation. however. Is by no