Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-12
The High Cost of Asiatic War.

"A FACTOR OF importance In the Russo
Chinese situation in Manchuria, re-
garding the likelihood Of war between
the two countries, is the financial con-
dition Of China, which at present is
unfavorable to any extensive military
operation. The Nationalist government,
headquartered at Marking, is "in the
market" for loans for the maintenance
of administrative work, in execution Of
elaborate plans Of improvement and de-
velopment. Nobody precisely knows
how much money is required for educa-
tionaf and engineering works, but the
total sum involved in the projects that
have been adopted in principle and
somewhat In detail by the Marking
government runs into scores Of millions.
A commission Of experts, headed by an
American, Is now at work on a general
fiscal system, the completion Of which
Is a matter of several months and the
adoption and execution of which must
be considered as relating to 1881 or
1882, at the earliest.
In the absence of definitely respon-
sible government system, with a repre-
sentative assembly or congress, the
Marking administration Of China car
ries on with little publicity regarding
details and especially in the matter of
finance. Nobody precisely knows the
state of the treasury. But from time to
time the Chinese national authorities
propose foreign loans to exc out the
variable revenues Of the state. The
most recent proposal Of this kind was
! for 100000, with no offers, 1t would
seem, from any source. A Chinese bond
issue is not eagerly sought by investors,
being regarded as highly speculative
proposition.
War with Russia over the Manchurian
affair would cost enormously. It would
have to be on large scale, involving
| the employment of several hundred
| thousand troops. A considerable frac-
ton of the forces would probably come
from Manchuria itself, the army of
Marshal Chang Hsieuh-Liang, son of
Chang Tso-Lin, who was assassinated
| about eighteen months ago. The
young General" as he is called, has
under his command theoretically about
| 100000 men, but whether he would
finance this force Is question-perhaps
one of the most important questions now
being considered by the Marking gov
eminent in its contemplation of the
possibility Of war. The Young Gen
eral" may thus hold the balance of
power regarding the war situation. He
has not the energy and enterprise Of
his father, who held sway at Peking
for considerable period and was a
veritable "war lord" as well as highly
capable statesman.
If Marking should by dalliance with
the Russian proposals for settlement of
the Manchurian trouble let the situa-
ton drift into a state of actual war,
funds would probably be provided by
extraordinary levies upon the provinces,
which have been squeezed repeatedly In
the past and which, despite the general
poverty of the country, will always yield
a considerable total of emergency funds.
But such tmpositions are weakening and
the prestige of the Nationalist govern
ment is likely to be impaired, whatever
the outcome Of the conflict, by any such
measure. The Chinese people have no
taste for war with a foreign country,
having had their complete fill of strife
in the course Of civil wars for many
years.