Evening star., 1925-04-26
BY ELIZABETH HEMPsTONE.
HANKOW, China. March a.

conNaleSclng from a 0eVaS-
tating civil war. whose system
mas been poisoned through centuries
Of political dishonesties, lately as-
gravated by military jealousies. Her
chances Of recovery are lessened by
disa greement of the doctors concern
ing the proper course of trea tment.
DR.. Sun thought that an operation
was necessary, and that she would
never get well until the last foreigner
was removed. Others assert that she
should be pounded into shape. But the
Fanest counselors and, fortunately,
those in power, advise rest with sim
pie food and plenty of fresh air. So
the obstruction conference is meet
ing at Peking to plan her diet, and all
parties throughout the country are
asked to cease fighting while the lead
ers are in conference.
Disbandment of China's Armies.
The biggest problem of all is the dis
handing Of the armies. For while they
are modified there can be no peace.
Idle. they are a menace; active, they
ere destruction. Through the force OF
their arms. idle or active, each little
general is able TO set himself up as
sovereign in the area which he con-
trolls AS long as he pays them they
serve him, or until some one else Of
fers them more. When he is defeated
they either join the ranks of the vic
tor or take to the hills and become
ba ndits. Therefore. the first big pro-
posals to be brought up by the min
istry OF the interior will be the dis
poSal of the troops-the number to be
employed in river conserVancy work
or in repairing and maintaining ma
tional roads. II China's armies could
he put to work at once on wages that
would make such work attractive she
would solve three OF her problems at
one time-the disbandment of troops,
the prevention Of floods Through en-
gineering and reforesta tom and de-
velopment Of the entire system of COM
munications. through railroads and
highways. But 1T would require
mighty effort with ell shoulders to the
wheel to put such a reform into effect.
The Reconstruction Conference.
This conference is dominated by the
military-though at the last moment
members OI OF commerce
and some prominent educators. were
invited. At first it appeared that no
good could come from it since the war
lords could arrange things to suit
themselves. But, after all. it is they
who are all lpowerful at present, and
all reform must come from them and
through them. The reconstruction of
China lies in the regeneration of the
military. Tuan Chi-jui, the provisional
President ia q Ia n
organizer Of armies. Yet since he left
his Tientsin garden, to which he had
retired after years of active service. to
take up the reins Of government at
Peldng, he has been energetic and sim
cere in his efforts to bring peace. and
through this conference to establish it.
The reconstruction conference will
he followed by the peoples conference,
according to the present program.
The latter conference will vote on all
reforms decided upon at the recon.
structfon conference and draft an ef-
fective constitution, with practical
plans for it's enforcement.
Reduce Size of Provinces.
An interesting step advocated by
Gen. Ting, who is vice chairman Of
the financial readjustment commission
and political adviser to President
Tuan, is a proposal to reduce the size
OF the provinces by subdividing them
after the example of the japanese pre-
lectures or French departments. Thus.
instead OF % provinces, he would have
20. This plan would minimize the
powers and functions of the various
military and civil governors to such
an extent that there would not be the
wild scramble for power and the con.
sequent bribing and squeezing" Nor
would the provincial war lords be able
70 keep large enough army to defy
the central government This plan is
supposed to be favored by Tuan. but
many feel that by multiplying the
number of provinces and officials they
VIII merely be multiplying China =
troubles. However, the plan is GER
ltainly worth trying-for even If it in
iGreases petty graft it win keep men
from going mad with power and run
lning amuck through the whole coun-
try.
Graft in LiLin Local Tax.
| Zone Of the main troubles now is the
ssystem OF graft whereby man send
ling his goods through different ports
land provinces has to pay likin, or
llocal duty. that in most cases prac-
itically amounts to bribery. A railroad
hmnning through one province. three
ksections Of which are controlled by diff
iferent generals, finds its cars COM
tpaandeered and it's goods confiscated
Thy three men with three different
ideas and three fairly we'll equipped
iarmies. This is practically the condi.
st3on OF Honan now-and under Gen.
filings plan it would be divided into
lfour parts. Whether that would solve
1.-THE problem, or simply add one more
sdiscordant element, time alone and
1.-THE practical application of the plan
twill tell. 1t is vain to prophesy.
! To understand the enormity of the
sproblem OF unif1cation you must re-
tnember-Q) the size of China, almost
lone and one-third the size of our coun-
stry; (2) the different languages spoken
,eten in China proper. as exemplified
by Canton tSouth Chna). Shanghai
;Central Chinal and Peking North
China) and various dialects: 60 the
lack of communication, the railways
being notoriously unsafe and made
fquate, telegraph under official and
political mismanagement. radio unde-
Neloped and postal service slow and
uncertain a. the financial condition
amounting nearly to bankruptcy. for
the revenue which should have gone
To the government has been diverted
10y provincial graft and by the military
Tor guns and ammunition, besides the
large sums collected directly by the
foreign powers in payment of national
debts and Boxer indemnities.
Menace of kuOmintang. RADICAL Party.
In addition to geographical and
financial difficulties China has her
political troubles-and the greatest of
these is the kuomintang-that is,
roughly speaking very roughly speak
ingl the radical Darty-with a strong