Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-08-29
China, u Divided State

iii"''' IL blNlutu state
| will be particularly unfortunate for
China if that great country is unable To
present Il united front al the forthcoming
disarmament conference. No other nation
which will participate in the momcntons
proceedings ut Washington will he so deep
~ concerned in the settlements which il is
proposed to make. Neither the territory
tho sovereignty nor the vital interests of any
other are so variOusly involved
II was because OF these facts that China
was invited TO have part in the confer
c1ce She is not military or naval power
Disarmament as such does not interest her
as II does the United States or Great Britain
or Japan. for the reason that She has no
formidable fleet or large standing army. But
virtually every Far Eastern and Pacific is
sue thal VIII he raised in some degree at-
lects the future and the fate of China
FOR that reason sincere friends OF the
chinese deporc the fact that internal dis
Schsloh amounting TO successful revolution
mas resulted in two governments of China
demanding representation at the Washing
Ton conference There is today a govern
m"nt NJ fcking, recognized as the sovereign
Hnthority or the nation There is the gov
orhmenl or South China with its capital at
canton, as yet unrccngnizcd by other pow
"rs. hut which represents. according TO its
claims. at least onc-haf OF the population
of the country.
NOR Is the canton confederacy cmhrac-
ing three populous provinces and reaching
out Tor three more, mere revolt OF unor-
Eanizod groups. 1t has organized n govern
ment by the election OF Dr. Sun Vat Sen,
one OF the foremost figures in all China. as
Irg Il
which DR.. Wa Ting Fang, former minis, or
n Washington. is Minister Of Foreign Az
fairs. Moreover. that confedcracy has sci,
mp bureau in Washington and other for
cign capitals and is insisting upon the rec
ognition OF its de facto character
Finally. the Canton government has mad.
n demand upon the Department Of State AT
Washington for direct representation al the
disarmament conference. a demand which
must greatly embarrass the American gov.
eminent. Our state Department hitherto
has dealt solely with Peking and expects
tho Picking regime to name the delegation
which will he recognized nj the conference
1t is difficult TO ignore tho South China
confederation. when the extent Of its an
tonomy is taken into consideration rs wnn
as the high character of the men who arc
Tie State Department no doubt entcrtains
the hope that Picking will find a means If
uniting all elements in China for the pur
pose Of the conference but this hope may
not materiaize Already Canton has re-
j"cted all overturcs from Peking for repre-
scnta'ion in tho Chinese mission
Also tho charge is openly made ana re-
enforced that Peking is under the domino
ton Of Japan. that the old government sub.
United tamcly to the twenty one japanese
demands, and the Cantonese fully expect
the Pcking delegation to surrender again
TO any program which the Japs may seek TO
pat over. This further disturbs the friends
Of China and makes il all the more difficult
Tor the other powers participating to turn
deaf ear TO the appeals OF the South China
government for some voice in the DISPOSE.
tons 10 be made at Washington. %.