The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-10-31
ny PHILIP KINsLEY.

tht great military nations. will pre-
sekt q tragic figure at the wash
iakton conference. The Chinese
lodk upon America as their only
trde friend and the delegates will
be- guided by American advice.
Save US from Japan" Is their cry.
TIE question is whether Americans
are ready to undertake this re-
spbnsibility. The Chinese do not
want to be saved by any interna-
tional board Of governors. They
want US to hold Japan on while
they straighten up their own internal
AFFAIRS.
The Chinese revolution Is not yet
ended. The radical group in the
south, headed by DR.. Sun Vat Sen
and WI Ting Fang. refuses to Join
hands with the Picking government,
claiming that the northerners are
dictionary and under the influence
Japan. They may or may not
e with the Chinese program pre-
ed by the Washington delega-
Any decision on China may
to be forced down the threats
the southerners.
Fighting Among Themselves.
The Chinese are sighting among
themselves today for personal
bower. for loot. or for ideals of gov
yernment. There is no battle line
1 and no clean division of forces
Battles are likely to occur anywhere
in the Yangtse valley and river
traffic above Hankow is hazardous.
Americans are. safe almost any
where. During recent fighting along
the West River an American en-
IN
tiny launch. He flew the American
flag and was not molested.
Just at present Gen. WI Pei-fus
who has just been appointed high
Inspector OF Hupeh and Human
provinces, Is in the lead with his
northern army. Two months ago
Or. Suns people were hopeful Of an
nexing Human province. Battles
have been fought and villages
burned and countrysides devastated.
Thousands of lives have been lost
during the summer. Trade in the
interior is disorganized and the
financial resources of both sides
crippled. The war" is likely to
break out again any time.
Life Dream Seems Shattered
In the meantime no nation has
seen At to recognize" the southern
republic, and DR.. Sun is bitter about
II, possibly foreseeing failure for
his lifelong dream of a real con-
stitutional republic. President
Harding has not asked him to send
a fenresentative to the conference,
DR.. Sun told me.
Ills impossible to make a deh-
mite division Of provinces aligned
north and south. As In our own
civil war. some of the border states
are divided. The South, China gov
srnment claims six provinces and
szyk.two more will soon be under
its government. These provinces,
IL Is pointed out in propaganda
matter, have a population Of 221,-
100000, not represented at Peking
or at the Washington conference.
This must be taken with several
grains of salt. All is not black
and white in China. The best in
formation I can get is that DR..
Suns government il not popular
outside of Kwantupg. his own prov
ince, with Canton as the capital.
Personalities Play Big Part.
1t would seem possible for WI
PeI-fu and DR.. Sun to get together
on the idea Of a loose confederation
of provinces. but Gen. WI, one Of
the three strongest military chiefs,
IS said to be unfriendly to DR.. Sun,
although friendly to Chung Ming,
Of Canton. Personalities play a big
perhaps the biggest-part in the
complexities Of Chinese affairs.
Outside Of Kwantung the major
ity in these provinces may be in
sympathy with the southern gov
eminent: Kwangsai lighting still
going on), Kweichow, and Yunnan.
In SZechuan the sentiment is said
TO be about equally divided. Prob
ably northern and favoring the
Picking government are Chilli,
shantung, Shansi, Honan, Anhui.
Kiangsu. Chekiang. Fukien. In the
last four provinces a shift in the
tide Of affairs might send them to
the south. Hsinching Is not taking
sides. Manchuria Is with Picking
when it is not under Japan.
Peking represents the conserva-
tivss and the south the liberals.
Ever Ready with Bribe Money.
As to the influence Of Japan, this
might be anywhere. The Japanese
general stan has a propaganda bu-
reau working overtime" as one
Japanese liberal writer said. The
alleged news" sent out has little
relation to the truth, I am told by
newspaper men in China. The edi-
tor Of a paper in North China Gan
American told me OF the struggle
he had when launching his paper
20 get away from Japanese money.
1t was offered as subsidy or in any
way he would take II.
1t Is generally supposed and easy
to believe that many of TIE twenty
two tuchuns or military lords Of
the provinces have been kept in the
field with their 100000 armed men
by Japanese loans. This is particu-
larly charged against the Anfu
group Of militarists, who were in
charge In eking until 1920. They
have been removed from the cabi-
net. Then Chang Tso Ling. mill
so-called super-war lord at Peking,
tary governor of Manchuria and
had close relations with the Japa-
nese along the Siberian border. He
was the ally Of Seminoff, whose ma
neuvers crippled the Far Eastern
republic.
Some Sincere for Japan ~ Ally.
There are many instances where
the Picking government has resist
ed Japan. There are groups who
sincerely hold that II would be wise
for China to cooperate with Japan
and rid herself of other foreign
influence.
-'' Chtha,s first job is to get rid of
her irresponsible military brigands
and governors. and she may have to