Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-04

permitted to run the country.
Old enmitieS, personal greed ana self
iSh ambition no doubt motivate many
Of the politicians in both countries, but
fundamentally the present dispute be-
tween the two factions in China centers
about reform activities Of the National
ist government at Marking. Most OF the
Nationalist statesmen are Southerners
Of very advanced type, eager to see
China take its place with the great pow
erS OF the Western world. To this end
they have promulgated one reform de-
cree after another and have forbidden
scores Of ancient practices which they
consider incompatible with progress.
The more slow-moving Northerners,
however, look askance on these attempts
to destroy China's ancient culture and
to foist alien custom upon the people.
They believe that after two decades Of
reforms and civil warfare China's cry
Ing need Is not more reforms, but rather
a "back-to-normar' regime.
Posters Spread Reforms.
The present reform campaigns In
China are Of many kinds, some pro-
found and some ridiculous: There Is
an anti-opium campaign, OF course; o
campaign to abolish bound feet for
! women and queues for men, and ira
| ditional funeral and marriage cere-
monies are condemned. An attempt Is
being made to force China to aban-
don its old lunar calendar and TO &C
cept the time reckoning Of the Occi-
dent. Over all, q war on superstition,
| which in some places has merged into
a war on religion itself, Is being waged.
The value Of propaganda In educa-
| tional campaigns was demonstrated 70
China by Soviet agents five years ago.
and the present reformers learned the
lesson so thoroughly that all China to-
/ day Is placarded with bill posters and
| slogans. There Is propaganda for the
promotion Of native industries and
propaganda against the unequal
treaties" propaganda on behalf OF
China's modern women and propaganda
against Great Britain. Japan and, most
recently, Soviet Russia.
Prohibition reforms in China concern
not alcohol, but opium. In the use OF
alcohol the Chinese are one Of the most
temperate Of all races, but In the use
Of opium they lead the world.
Government statistics here are In
complete on any subject, and this is
especially true of the traffic In opium,
which Is illegal. It Is as difficult, there
fore, to learn about the actual con-
sumption Of the drug here as 1t Is to
get information on the consumption OF
liquor IN the OLlCSQ oLAUcS. 4ASIc 10
even the same difference In opinion
concerning its use, some Chinese insist
ing that q moderate use Of opium Is
not harmful and that the individual
should have the right TO decide whether
| to take 1t or not.
Taxes Enrich War Lords.
Some of the war lords who came into
| power as o result Of the revolution were
opposed to the opium traffic and kept 1t
down. But others not only offered no
assistance to the prohibition campaign,
but even commanded the farmers to
plant the opium poppy 50 that they
could share in the profits. Many mill
tarists thus made huge fortunes from
the taxes on opium crops.
The present Chinese Anti-Opium AS
ISOLATION operates under the auspices OF
the Nationalist government In some
places it undoubtedly does good work,
but In China, as in the United States,
there are some prohibition officers who
actually cooperate with those whom
they are supposed to prosecute.
Even more difficult than the prob
lem Of opium In China Is the problem
of gambling. In this country, where
much Of the population is dangerously
near the subsistence level, gambling
often has serious results since extrava-
CANT amounts are often involved.
Nah jongg. Chtna's game OF chance