Evening star., 1923-02-28
CH|NA'S CONDITIONS
BORDER ON CHAOS.
Impoverished Treasury,
Troublesome Tu-Chuns and
Bandits Held Responsible.

Although Chinas new Magma
Charta' was signed, sealed and de-
livered at the Washington conference
only a year ago, conditions i'll that
country are about the most chaotic
and desperate in its distressful his
tory. The central government at Pek-
ing is government In name only. Its
treasury is impoverished. Its author
ity hardly extends beyond the great
wall. In province after province in
dependent. power is welded by mill
taristic Su-chuns. with well equipped
armies or their own. who are mon
archs of all they survey and snap
their fingers defiantly at Peklns's
wishes or commands. The autocrat
of Mukden, Chango-Tso-L Lin. rules the
three eastern provinces OF Manchuria
with an iron hand. The vast depend
ency or Mongolia refuses to recognize
the sovereignty Of the Peking regime.
Tibet is similarly rebellious. In the
south the Canton government re-
mains a the helm. while the province
of Fukien is in the hands OF Chinese.
who decline allegiance to the Peking
authorities.
External Trouble Looms.
In the midst of these domestic
difficulties. The soviet Russian gov
ernment is in conference with Pekfng
on the subject of the Chinese Eastern
railway and seeks to recover the old
czarist rights in that property. Rus
sia also demands the. indie epe ndenoe or
autonomy of Mongolia.
Next month. -Japans lease Of Port
Arthur and Dairen, carrying with it
virtual control of the province of
kwan-Tung. expires. unless China
~ 1fUc n vol RI h
GUS twenty-one demands. Under the
demands China. in 1915. sullenly
agreed to a prolongation of the
former Russian lease until 1897. Japan
stands Stubbornly on this extension
and scorns the action of the Chinese
senate on January 20 in declaring the
/ lease abrogated The old expiration
date is March 26. There is consider
able tension at both Peking and Toxic
over the kwan-Tung.
Constitution Lacking.
Meantime, China's troubles in every
direction are innumerable. The re-
public has entered upon its eleventh
year and is still without a permanent
constitution. Chinese statesmen are
fond of recalling that although the
United States of America declared
it's independence in 1776. it had no
years later. Owing to lack of con-
stitu.ional security. the legal status
OF every member of the Peking gov
ernment is open to question. It has
during the past year.
Next to France and Russia, China
today Is probably the most highly
militarized country in the world
There are said to be a million and a
half troops under arms. controlled by
rival tu-chuns or provincial war
lords. The central authorities at
Peking discuss and from time to time
, order disbandment of these forces,
but are helpless to carry it out.
Interest and principal owing by
China fir foreign loans, as well as for
| domestic borrowings, long have been
in arrears. No funds are in sight to
meet them. The credit Of the govern
while hostile influences continue to
prevent official recognition of the
new international banking consor-
tium.
Troubles Are Many.
Even the schools are disorganized
because of the disappearance Of oper-
ating funds. Students have gone on
strike and aggravated the general
unrest. Like the schools, nearly every
department of the government Is suf-
fering because Of stoppage of salaries
and other current expenses. The CEN
trail authorities claim their money
troubles are due mainly to the hold
ing UP by grafters in the provinces Of
revenues rightfully belonging to the
national treasury. Increasing ban
ditry in the outlying provinces, labor
lawlessness and recurrence Of famine
are some Of the governments minor
troubles.
All Of these facts are known to our
State Department and are the cause
Of mingled anxiety and Indignation.
The recent declaration of Secretary
Hughes about China's failure to give
satisfaction for the murder Of Charles
Coltman, an American. by Chinese
soldiers and Minister Schurman's q
Washington's birthday speech in
Peking are indications Of the United
States growing annoyance over con-
ditions In China Mr.. Hughes recog-
nizes the terrific difficulties under
which China is laboring. but there is
a feeling at Washington that greed,
partisanship and inertia are being
permitted to affect the situation in a
wholly indefensible manner.
Copyright, 1897