New-York tribune., 1921-06-12

CANTON. Chfnn. Maa Is.

r parades and much waving Of (
-D flags and banners give Canton
8 celebratory air these days. |
A parliament has met, President has /
been elected and a new government !
proclaimed. Thus begins new Chi |
nese revolution, if it is not more accu-
rate to say a new phase of the same
old Canton revolution.
For this is Canton, birthplace and
natural home of Chinese intransi-
geanee. Here have been manufactured
and launched the various revolutions
that have made the tortuous course of
events since China became a republic,
at least nominally, in 1911. 1t is Can
ton that has for four years stood in the
way of national unifcation, which the
powers have stipulated as prerequisite
TO any international help for. China
Canton is the stronghold of South
China.
The causes that have brought about
Ehe separation of North China and
South China are numerous, varied and
IuNO4stQ AHGN d&S AASIOAlCGis temper
amental snd even racial. The north
erner is by temperament, environment
and political precedent conservative.
The southerner is for the same reasons
radical, even unstable. The north has
never really believed in the republic.
Such republican sentiment as exists is
found among the educated classes of
the south. But the military leaders of
the north, survivors of the monarchist
regime. paying only lip loyalty to the
republic, have remained in control of
the national capital at Peking, and that
control has inevitably forced funda-
mental issues with the republicans and
radicals of the south.
most of the Provinces Give
Allegiance to Neither Side
IN sense, TO talk of north and south
Is inaccurate. At present the southern
cause is upheld only by Kwangtuug
province, of which Canton is the cap
ital. The other southern provinces give
allegiance neither to Peking nor Can
ton. They are virtually independent.
The same is true in the forth. Peking's
rvay extends little beyond the capital
Itself. The other northern provinces
also are practically independent.
Strictly speaking, there is no govern
ment in China. The capitulation of
Canton would not mean the unification
nr oy,Ir
ince under Peking's rule. When, there
fore, the Consortium insists that there
he national uuihcation, meaning peace
between Peking and Canton, before it
will make loan to China, it raises a
wholly artificial issue. Unifcation Of
China involves much more than peace
conference between north and south.
IL, any comparison between Peking
and Canton, Peking must suffer. In
comparison with any other political
center Peking would suffer. Probably
there is no other world capital so cor
rupt, so venal, so completely degraded
as Peking. And it is characteristic of
The whole course of Western diplomacy
In China that it is Peking that the
powers recognize and support. Since
the Western powers have first had
formal relations with China they have
consistently backed the wrong horse.
They have always given their support,
morally and financially, to the reaction
ary elements and simultaneously de-
ulored China's backwardness.
In Canton there is some ground Tor
hope for China's future. In Peking
there is none. There is less corrup-
tion here. There is less political IN
triguery. There is measure OF pa
triotism. There is at least the outline
Of nroyram for reconstruction.