Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-05-05

cumstances MIR. Bakhmetcf has continued to per-
form certain duties, and that his position isIa real
and not a fictitious one. :E
cHINA's CIVIL WAR
To the average American reader the civil war
now raging in China is a complete puzzle, and the
indications are that the Chinese do. not understand
it very we'll themselves. 1t appears to be a case Of
men getting into conflict without real cause, and
without knowing themselves just what the trouble
is about. #
Where a country has a history extending back
thousands of years it is impossible to trace a given
set of circumstances to it's origin, and it is quite
certain that the disturbances now in evidence IN
China result largely from habits and traditions
which have been in process of formation tor CEN
turtles. So far as the modern aspects of the case are
concerned, the present difficulties are outgrowths
of the spirit which found expression ten years
ago in the revolution, the old imperial form of gov
eminent then being abolished and an attempt being
made to set up a republic in its place.
Such a change, in a country twice as large ter
ritorially, and containing four times as many people
as the United States, could not be brought about
quickly or easily under any circumstances, and the
long habit of conservatism among the Chinese IN
creased the difficulty. There was bound to be con-
aict of group with group. The reactionarye element
was certain to strive for the restoration of the old
system, and those in favor of change were certain
to be divided into factions, each with its own con-
|ception of the goal to be attained and the methods
to be employed in reaching it.
All Of this has characterized the recent history
of China. An added complication is found in the
fact that in this, the twentieth century, vast areas
of China, and millions of her people, are. under the
control of a feudal system comparable to that
which existed in England under the Normans and
Plantaganets. Feudal chiefs have allied themselves
with thsi or that faction, in support of this or that
doctrine-often for no purpose other than the en-
hancement of their own power and the loot which
could be gained by their retainers.
with this or that faction, in support of this or that
real republic have resulted thus far in the creation
|of a political administration with its seat at Picking
which though given recognition by other nations,
is weak and ineffective, and the building of a rival
organization which. has its headquarters at Canton,
and whose leading spirit is Or. Sun Vat Sen. This
body is in practical control Of affairs in southern
China, whose people are more Homogeneous than
those of the north, with tendencies strongly in the
direction of the peaceful development of agriculture
and commerce, with a large measure of open-mind-
edness toward western civilization. The northern
people are of many races, and it is in the north that
the feudal system is in practically full sway.
The Picking government has legal authority to
levy taxes, but has no way of enforcing collection.
1t relies for its income on contributions doled out
from abroad from those interested in maintaining a
form of government at Peking in order that the
country may not be reduced to anarchy. The
feudal chiefs can and do both levy and collect taxes,
but they are inclined to keep their takings for their
own purposes. Picking receives little from this
source. H% a"
General Chang Tso-Lin may be called the
super-baron of Manchuria and the adjoining regions
in the north. General WI Pei-Fu occupies a SINH
lar position in the central parts of the old empire.
The two were friends and associates, but for reasons
which are little understood on this side they have
separated and are now leading opposing military
forces. Apparently both are committed to the re-
publican ideal, but they differ as to the methods to
be used. Chang developed his military movement
first and moved southwark, occupying Picking. He
did not undertake to depose the existing govern
ment, but that organization continued to function
by virtue of his tolerance. WI has undertaken to
rescue the capital from the forces of Chang, and in
the late engagements he appears to have been fairly
successful. .
Southern China has not participated actively in
the contest, although at the beginning of the activ-
tiles of the Manchurian chief it was understood that
he had the moral support of Sun Vat Sen, from
whom he has been reported to have received fnan-
cial aid. General WI is regarded as a man of high
character, progressive and patriotic, and it appears
tht among the three leaders, Sun Vat Sen, W.T. Pei
Flu and Chang Tso-Lin, there is no conflict of prin-
|cip1e. The present warlike activities seem to be
due largely TO local peculiarities and inability Of
leaders to agree on a joint program. In this re-
spect, i may be said, the Chinese are not peculiar.
Scientists disagree over whether the bones Of a
human skeleton found in Ohio are forty-fve thou
sand years old or eight thousand years old. IT
makes little difference to,the gentleman who origin
ally grew them. N
Iceland's prohibition IS to allow 4 wine (prob-
ably the light wine Of report containing . TWEEN
tty-one per cent kick. It's not SO deep as 4 well, nor
60 wide ass church door; but It's enough, twill
serve. S8g#ha S# 4s
The sacramento men find they cannot erow
boards for the Observation-Disclosures Is Il Dos
asible that Wbiskers have been shaved for 30 long
that they have become discouraged.