Evening star., 1923-10-15
EAST is EAST
BY FRANK II. HEDGES

tor IN emma To-Day. Ee Is tne bympol
Of patriotic democracy to many OF the
Chinese statesmen and military lead
ers who are cropping and stumbling
in the direction of q sound republican
form OF government for their coun-
try. The Chinese Is accustomed to
searching the past to gain inspiration
and precedents for the present and
the future, and those Chinese who
have committed themselves whole
heartedly TO the rearing of great
republic in their homeland find
George Washington their chief inspi-
ration.
The American patriots military
career during his fight for freedom and
justice, his subsequent administration
Of the nation as head of the state, his
refusal to aspire TO royal honors and,
finally, his retirement from public
life to pursue a quiet, leisureiy old
age all carry a tremendous appeal to
the Chinese. They are In conformity
with the teachings of the great sage
Confucius. but they are the working
out of those teachings under modern
conditions.
There can be but little question
that it was the struggle OF the thir-
teen colonies and the creation of the
United States of America that con-
stituted the ideal of the republican
leaders who, twelve years ago, rose
in revolt against the Manchu dynasty
and overturned the throne or the en-
pire. America was their beacon
torch, and il was a torch whose glare
lit the whole vast dome of sky
stretching from Canton In the far
south to Mukden, many miles north
OF the great wall.
Adverse criticism of China today is
widespread and in a large degree is
justified. The ideal held by Sun Vat
sen and his followers of 1911 has not
yet Powered and borne fruit to any
great extent. The Chinese is fond of
comparing the present state OF his
country with the period OF trouble
that this republic and the republic of
France went through when they were
born into the nations of the world.
He pleads with his critic for time,
and he Is entitled to it. Twelve
years is very short, especially for
people to make over institutions
and customs that have come down
through the centuries with but little
change.
Ii Yuan-hung, twice president of
the republic, is the latest Chinese
statesman to voice publicly his ad-
miration of George Washington and
his desire to follow in the American
patriots footsteps. From the city of
Shanghai, whittier President LII has
fed after having been virtually
driven from the presidents palace IN
Peking last June, he has said that ne
is Fmost anxious to follow the notable
example set by Washington" and has
emerged from a retired life TO work
In politics toward this end.
1t is natural that President Lii
should see an analogy between his
president. Although it may have
been against his will, Ii Yuan hung
was placed at the head of the re-
bellious troops in 1911 when they
struck at the power Of the reigning
of the republic. He did not go in as
president, but as vice president, in
the first constitutional election. The
death of the president a few years
later elevated Ii to that post. Re
signing in 1917, he was recalled TO
legal heir to the presidency, which
had been usurped by northern mill
tarists.
The abilities and qualifications OF
President Lii are one question; the
ideal of Washington that spurs him
on to give his service to his country
men is another. To him, and. as q
consequence, TO all who support him.
George Washington is a living force
in the working out of the destiny of
the oldest OF the new republics of
Asia.
Gen. WI Pei-fu, one OF the four
strongest and most powerful men in
China today, has consistently looked
to the early days OF Americas strug-
gle to become nation as an example
and a prophecy of what lay before
his own country. Wu's personal hero
has long been George Washington,
the military leader who turned from
the ways of war TO the paths of
peace once his victories were won
and his cause triumphant. WI real
ICES the curse Of China's many mill
tary chieftains and burdensome ar
mics and would end their power
His belief that China will parallel
the American commonwealth amounts
almost to an obsession. He points
out that the people of China rose
against the Manchu household just as
the people of America rebelled
against the crown of England. There
followed the national gathering at
the Temple Of Heaven in Peking
when the provisional constitution was
drawn up and the new government
actually began TO function. This. to
him, Is a duplicate OF the articles or
confederation.
For more than three years Gen.
WI has insisted that China must
take the third step. There must be
another national convention when a
permanent constitution will be
drafted and offered to the nation for
ratification. Even before he became
a major power in China Gen. WI
advocated such a scheme, and he will
never rest contented until his coun-
try. like this, shall have held q con-
stitutional convention. 1t Is the
foremost plank in his program.
That Sun Yat-sen, hero of the revo-
luton and outstanding advocate of
should look to George Washington
with a feeling akin to devotion Is to
be expected. The example of Amer
lea has long been his guide. Going
in as provisional president. he
stepped aside when Yuan Shih-kai
was elected to that office, and as long
as China seemed to be governed
wisely and we'll was content to re-
main In obscurity. 1t is because his
country has fallen a prey to ambi-
tious and self-centered politician
warriors that Sun has re-entered the
troubled arena.
eraphic and accurate q picture of
sun Yat-sen as does his Shanghai
L.-a 1,t,n hnMaa very like a house