Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-12-25

ing the people. what hope is there
Tor China? That Is the point of view
which is not expressed, but rather
felt.
Shanghai n Center OF Intrigue.
Meanwhile the politicians are on
the job. They have organized n n.-
,iohai society FOR foreign affairs and
nave established headquarters in
shanghai. The position Of Shanghai
In Chinese affairs may be of inter
est to those who do not live in this
country. The capital ~ China. az all
men know. is In Pcking. But there
is another capital in Canton and one
in each Of the eighteen provinces
which are really separate entities In
Chinese politics. All OF the govern
ihcnts. c!i1ucs, groups. parties and
individual governors maintain aEen-
cies in Shanghai for the forming
for the dcnounclnv and confoundins
OF political enemies Shanghai is
therefore scething with politics OF n
sort which Is vital to the future OF
country. but which makes un!ntcr-
esting reading outside Of China. For
the dramatic does no, happen in
Shanghai. The drama il written here
The stage is set somewhere else
where soldiers have trccr play and
government or IN" miiitarists some
wealth as reward for their per-
Torrance. Shanghai is also the CEN
ter of tho finances, commerce and
trade of tho country. 1t IS here that
the militarists contract short-tcrm
lonns. j: is in the foreign banks
OF this city that the squeeze is de-
posted Here shares are purchased
IN cotton mills and real estate com
panies. Here. under the protection
o. foreign nags. ones family can be
left while the hghting is going on.
And her" one can hide beyond the
reach OF the soldiers and police when
ono has been defeated and in exile
The rernacular press OF Shanghai
is particularly important. since from
II most OF the newspapers throughout
China clip their special cables from
all parts of China Often the Peking
newspapers clip their local news from
Shanghai papers. Every political
group. therefore, wants to get on
the equivalent Of the front page OF
the vernacnlar press And news
agencies. press bureaus. press agcn-
cics and individual reporters are paid
large sums for puns and for falsify-
ing the news. The lot of the con-
sclcntious editor OF vernacular
newspaper in Shanghai is indeed try
Ing. OFTEN he gives /; up In disgust.
refusing 10 publish news and giving
vent only TO his own opinion OF what
the news should he.
So, when the Washington confer
cnce was about to open. Picking sent
4 batch o. stalwart politicians in
need OF Jobs 10 Shanghai to control
and curb and chart public opinion.
They organized the aforesaid national
society for foreign affairs and an
nounccd that the first need of the
country In solving Its foreign affairs
was internal unity. To this tho
Shanghailanders agreed but unity
upon what terms, they ask ed. Was
unity TO be recognition OF all the
evil wrought by the militarists? Was
unity TO mean recognition Of the
Fcking or the Canton government, or
both? They arc still quarrelinG about
this subject OF unity. although ths
conference has been in session sew
cral weeks. The people look and
wonder how men can spend time dis
cussinE such unimportant questions
and the Shanghai business man goes
about his business. without the
slightest regard for the politicians
and their excitement.
Talk Is of "Next War"
The Chinese do not call the confer
ence the Washington or the dis
armament conference. They call IL