The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-04-20
BY NAT kAPLAN.

4 national student FORUM has
spoken on the present situation in
China. Good stuff, say we, but not
good enuf. If efforts are going to be
exerted to bring pressure to bear
against the imperialists and their
bloody Intervention in China, such ef-
forts will have to give birth to more
than weak appeal.
The present situation in China is
very acute. When this situation cul-
minated in a demonstration Of 1000
students, which was fired upon by the
soldiers Of Tuan Chi-jui in Picking, the
American students movement opened
its ears and eyes. In order to under
stand the events leading up to this
demonstration we must understand
the present relation of forces in China.
There are three main forces in China
at the present time. These are: The
national revolutionary movement, Jap
anese Imperialism and Anglo-Ameri-
can imperialism.
The war between the various mill
tarists is but the above-board express
sion of these forces contending for
the hegemony over the millions of
Chinese workers and peasants and the
resources Of that country. Thus
Chang Tso-Lin (himself a representa-
tive Of the Manchurian bourgeoisie)
is being used as a tool by Japanese
WI Pei-fu represents
Anglo-American imperialism. Feng
Yu-hsiang, leader of the Kuominchun
(national army is sympathetic to
wards the national revolutionary move
ment and is fighting against the in
vading imperialist forces.
THE troops of Feng are at present
\ centered in Picking. The troops of
Chang and WI are moving against
Kuominchun forces there. 1t was only
natural that few months ago Feng
should take military precautions
against the transport of troops of the
contending armies to the. territory
around Picking. This was, accom-
plished by planting mines in the river
leading up to Tientsin, the great sea-
port of north China and only a few
hours by rail from Picking. Then came
the ultimatum of the five so-called
Boxer protocol powers, the United
States among them, demanding the
immediate removal of the mines ian
Impartial business act-which Incl
dentally means: Crush the Kuomin-
chun forces). When this ultimatum
came before the central Picking gov
eminent Tuan Chi-jui, acting president
lin reality an old pro-Japanese reac-
tionary), accepted it. The student
demonstration was staged against this
shameful betrayal. The extent of the
betrayal of Tuan Chi-jui was clearly
shown by Reuters wire to the Lon
don Daily Herald, which declares:
''The ministers of the foreign powers
in Picking John Van A. MacMurray
is the American minister to China,
N. K.) have approved the handing
cover of 100000 to Tuan Chi-jui, the
chief executive, to pay the overdue
salaries of the police and of his body
guard. and to provide for the disband-
ing of the groups of soldiery of the
third Kuominchun Irrational army,
who are roaming about without Off
GERS in the vicinity OF the city" Sal
aries for the police and bodyguard
paid with the dollars of the imperlalist
minister; dollars for the soldiers who
shot down the students in cold blood!
What does the New Student" pro-
pose in the face of this? A weak APP
peal for students to write letters eff
they wish to express interest in this
crisis. :" And the second mill
tant" measure which is bound to
knock the imperialists cold is: "Stim-
ulate study on the whole question OF
the attitude of the United States to-
wards other countries Involving eco
nomic imperialism, extra territorial
ity, tariff autonomy and gunboat di-
plomacy) and how we can best secure
international good will and peace"
A GAIN we say: Good stuff, but not
"A good enufl A systematic letter
writing campaign by thousands OF stu
dents and young and adult workers
must be organized turnout the coun-
try. These letters must come flooding
into Washington and bring pressure
to bear against "our" representatives
before they all run back to their locali-
ties to maneuver for their reelection.
Yes. the question must also be stud
led, but at the same time the National
Student Forum must also act. The
outlook must not be: Immediate ac-
ton by the students might possibly