New-York tribune., 1921-12-30
China Prepares
To Capitalize
Parley Profits
Delegates Here Cooperate
With General Chang to
Introduce Reforms That
Will Unite Government
New Constitution First
American Attitude Encour-
ages Movement to Put
Republic on Sound Basis
By Thomas Steep

Of the Chinese delegation to the arma-
mcnt limitation conference arc CO.
operating with General Tso~Lin with
view of putting to immediate use
whatever advantages China obtains
from the powers at the conference.
General Chang, the military dictator
Of Manchuria, is now at Peking re-
organizing President Hsu's govern
ment. He is determined, as soon as
the Chinese Parliament can be as
scmbed, to proclaim new constitu-
ton suitable to republican ideas OF
an Oriental people, to rehabltate
China's finances and TO unite the mill
| tary factions responsible for the re-
nublc's political disunion and eco
nomic chaos.
The real purpose Of General Chang
is to eliminate DR.. Sun Yat-Sen, Presi-
dent of the Canton, or south China
government, so that China can stand
before the world as nation with one
executive head, instead Of with two,
as at present.
Encouraged by u. s. Attitude
Encouraged by the assurances given
by the powers at the conference and
by the particularly friendly attitude
of the United States, as shown by Sec
rotary Hughes and Elihu Root in the
framing of the principles emphasizing
the territorial and opcn-door policies,
| the Chinese delegates are standing
squo rely behind General Chang's plan
to put the Chinese Republic on sound
basis. As soon as the conference is
ended Dr. Wang Chung Hui. Chief Jus
tice Of the Chinese Supreme Court, Will
return to Pcking to assist in establish
| inc the new regime and to pave the
way for the visits of various commits
sions to be appointed by the confer
ence, such as those designed TO in
vestigate proposal to abolish extra
territorial privileges and to put emma s
tariff system on modern basis.
| DR.. Wellington Koo will return to his
post as Minister to London and DR.
Alfred SEE will remain here as Minis
ter to this country, but both OF these
ministers will have new duties imposed
upon them by the conference.
No incident has given more zest to
China's cause at the conference than
the information received in official
circles to-day that the Chinese Repub-
lie is showing signs of internal reform
and of putting itself in position to
, throw off foreign control. The news
was received with pleasure by the
American delegates, who recognized
that China had small chance of regain
ing full control over her railroads, her
courts, her tariff or her territory occu-
pied by foreign troops so long as nine
tenths of her provinces were in the
power of military chiefs who disclaimed
allegiance to Peking. General Chang
strong hand, therefore, was welcomed
not only by the Chinese delegates but
also by China's supporters in the
American delegation.
New Constitution Demanded
The first stand taken by Chang is
that new constitution "suited to the
temperament of the Chinese people
must be provided The process of as
sembling Parliament for this purpose
already has begun. The present consti-
tuition, modelled on Occidental stand
ards by the group known as Young
China, composed largely of Chinese
pean and American influences, is held
by Chang to be responsible for mis-
understandings and secession mong the
provinces.
Financial reform is the next step
proposed by Chang. He does not hest
tate to assert in dispatches to Chinese
officials here that incompetency and
corruption in Chinese officialdom have
been the chief cause of China's having
had to negotiate foreign loans on
terms humiliating to her. In support
of his contention that the Chinese gov
ernment can be made self-sustaining
300,000,000 taels, while its normal ex-
pendture for administrative purposes
is only 100,000,0O0 taels.
Chang Actually a Usurper
Yet the fact is not lost sight Of here
that Chang, swooping down from his
palace at Mukden, has taken the reins
of the Peking government into his owr
hands without any semblance Of legis-
lative authority. He did not even con
suit President Hsu's Cabinet, which he
ARBITRARILY turned out Of Office two
weeks ago. The explanation is tina,
President Hsu, believing that new
era for China might be dated from the
Washington conference, invited Chang
as a superadviser, and Chang lost nc
time in obtaining results.
China's weak financial position is ex
pected to be improved by an agree
ment virtually reached to-day, provid
ing for an upward revision Of hel
tariff. Japan consented that the
Chinese tariff, as soon as revision coult
be effected, should be increased to ar
effective per cent, instead of ~ PEI
cent as at present limited by the
powers. Under plan proposed by
Senator Underwood, of the American
delegation, the limit later is to be
raised to tx per cent, as was stated
in The Tribune on Wednesday.
Ar psus wv