The evening world., 1922-05-12
UnUieLdY
China
By Maubert st. Georges
Copyright, 1912 (Nsw York Evening
worid) by Press Publishing Co.

and the humiliations subsequently,
heaped upon her by European powers
in forcing her to grant concessions
and leases. that were the startinn
point Of the transformation in China
that has attracted so much attention.
With the realization that forelgi
countries could no longer be ignored
two new groups sprang into beings
The one was a progressive party
made up of those who believed thae
the advantage OF the foreigners lay IN
their scientific methods and organiEaA
tion, and who thought that to save
China it was necessary to make he's
adopt this western civilization. The
other group, the reactionaries, decid-s.E
ed that China at any cost must be rid0
of the foreigners who were threatens
ing her independence. II Is the manA
oeuvres of these two parties which
together must number less than peA
cent. Of the population. that have I'd
continually been brought to our at.
tention by clever publicity.
At first the progressives, who wsra
for the most part wealthy merchants
around Canton, obtained from the
Emperor the promise Of reforms that
would quickly transform China. BuS
before these could be brought into
effect the Emperor's mother. at the
instigation Of the reactionaries, ims
prisoned him and took control of the
Government. Immediately what 10
known as the Boxer rebellion brokel
out and she issued orders that all torSS
eigners should be killed.
These murders simply gave an eHa
cuse for greater encroachments, ana
the resulting competition betweerl
Russia and Japan brought these two
nations into war. in 1904. The victory
OF Japan, proving the value OF taking
UP Western methods. galvanized
China. Plans for bringing about .
representative Government were grade
| ually put In action and finally o.
| ~ dLlOudl hpSCLiOiy hoh lh As4"
In 1908 the death Of the Empress
/ had set on foot a republican movos
ment, under the leadership Of DR.. sun
Yat Sen and Of southern merchantsa
who saw in republicanism the only
| hope for New China. An attempt by
the Central Government to control the
| railways and complete them with for.
eign capital provoked a rebellion.
| After a few weeks Yuan Shih Kai. q
leading statesman and soldier who had
been charged to resist the republicans.
| announced that resistance was impoS.
sible, and advised abdication. This ad.
vice was followed, and Sun Yat Sem
who had been elected President, res
signed in favor OF Yuan Shih Kai In
| order that this man, who was popular
In the north, might bring unity to the
| country.
This much wished for co-operatioH
did not, however, appear. Instead
friction increased until a rebeluou
broke in 1918. This was over a loan
arranged by foreign powers and
calculated further to compromise
Chinese independence, and which
Yuan Shih Kai ratified on his own
responsibility in spite of popular dis
sent. The rebellion was easily put
down. and with the money In his pos.
session Yuan Shih Kai dismissed the
assembly and in 1915 declared hims
self Emperor. Upon the Opposition
OF Japan, Great Britain, France and
Russia he abdicated. but only hiA
death prevented further civil war.
The Vice President automatically
| praufdant and he aYNrNAQdAd Ira
maintaining peace until 1917. Them
during the trouble aroused by Chino
entering the World War. he was
driven from Pekins by a general who
tried to reinstate tho Emperor. and
even when this movement had been
frustrated by popular feeling. he res
fused to resume his duties.
In 1918 Hsu Shih Chang, tha
present President, was elected by the
imperialists. but the southern proy<
inces refused TO recognize the adj
ministration. The negotiations OF new
loans from Japan placing China more
than ever under It's control. and tho
unsatisfactory result OF the Peace
Conference further wtdened the breach
between the two parties. During the
Washington Conference the belief that
the Peking Administration was pros
Japanese Increased ill-feeling and
several times II seemed as II fighting
would occur.
Finally the Governor Of Manchuria.
Gen. Chang Tso Lin advanced on
Picking and forced the President ia
form a new Cabinet under a Premier
who had been convicted last year Of
conspiracy against the Government.
Gen. WI Pei Flu thereupon sent ulti.
matums to Picking. AS a result OF his
threats. Gen. Chang. who is negotiate
ing with the Canton Government, oc-
cupied Peking- "in order to try to
unity China" and civil war broke out.
It seems strange, however. that
these disturbances. important in that
they may decide the future policy Of
China, yet relatively insignificant Ia
tthh iIafge mass Of the population.
lshbtid arouse 80 much interest, willis
FRstssyear's famine, which cost the
bveAlSf millions. remained almost un-
fHotdsd.
-