The Washington herald., 1921-09-20
CHAOS IN CHINA
REAL PROBLEM
OF CONFERENCE
Powers Must Find Way
To End Conflict of
Two Regimes.
u, ROBERT >. BENDER. !,

China's dual government-the
recognized regime established at
Pekin and the unrecognized au-
thority centered at Canton-may
AFFORD the Forthcoming Washing
ton conference guardianship
problem second My to that in car
ing for the rights OF Russia.
The Russian question has been
solved by a decision among the
powers, announced by the State
Department yesterday, to, establish
q moral trusteeship in protection
OF legitimate Russian interests
What will be the final course OF
the conference toward China II the
two governing bodies now estab-
lished there cannot cooperate TO
their common interests is a deli
cate and difficult question. solu-
tion of which for the moment can
not be accurately forecast.
China Key to Problem.
Conditions in China, economic
and political. are chaotic from
the standpoint of the interested
powers. China, at the same time
is the key to the whole Far East
ern problem. The Pekin govern
mcnt, with a dubious hold on
Chinese popular support, is never
theless the only government recog-
nized by those powers participat-
ing in the forthcoming conference
Through 1t. such understandings
as exist today among the powers
have been made.
But the South China government.
established at Canton. and led ana
supported by some Of the aolest
Chinese statesmen, refuses 10 sup
port pacts already inferred into oy
the Pekin regime and warns that
it will not bind itself. unrepre-
sented, to abide by the settlements
and decisions reached at the WASH
ington conference.
Each Claims Popular support.
Each government suspects the
other. Each claims the support OF
majority of the Chinese people.
Meantime, confusion rules In CHINA
from the standpoint of political and
economic discipline.
The situation, IL is admitted by
authorities here. must be cleared up
before or during the conference in
Washington. The state Department
has conveyed the pointed hint to
| the Pekin government that "all
| factions" in China should be repre-
sented on the Chinese negotiating
commission. No soonerfs this sug-
gestion made, however. than the
South China Republic lets II be
known that il does not wish joint
! representation with the Pekin gov
ernment, but representation of its
| own, carrying recognition OF its
established government
VIII Not Gain Recognition.
The view of the United states
government on this proposal is that
the South China Republic would
seem to wish, by such a maneuverr
TO have the Chinese problem settled
! in advance of the conference through
| its recognition by the United States.
! This, it may be stated, Is regarded
here as impossible. The United
States will not recognize the Canton
| government before the conference
! because to do so would merely add
| to the almost impossible snarl that
Chinese affairs already are in. II
would entail the rupture OF such
| agreements and understandings az
now exist between the Pekin gov
ernment and the United States
I "nICh are All the astSehSh'S th"'
do exist, and IL would also place the
other powers interested in China In
an absurdly complicated situation
Nor will the United States invite
the South China government to tbs
i Far Eastern conference. II it i:
represented at all-and this govern
ment hopes il will bet must bt
represented jointly with the Pekir
government on the Chinese delega'
ton. Then. at the conference, meas
ures will be possible for straiGhten'
ing out the tangle.