Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-27
THE LIBRARY TABLE
By the BOOkloper

IGdSOIll1lS CIlAIdCOCI LIES
Hallett Attends new book, Tortured
China" He says: Mere humanita-
rianism, it would seem, would prompt
the rest of the world. after 19 years OF
watching and waiting, to decide that II
China cannot help herself, the time
has arrived when she must be helped
But the form which this help should
take Is subject to debate. There are,
he says, "two main schools of thought
about modern China" One school may
be called the optimist school and be-
lieves that China will work out her own
salvation and should be left to her
self. Perhaps a branch of this school,
because its conclusion is the same, con-
sists OF those who think that China
should not be helped or interfered with
because, on account of her almost limit
less increase in population, a, well
ordered China would press too hard
upon the rest of the world" The other
school combines in its thought pessi-
mism, humanitarianisnn and selfish
ness. It holds that 1.-The Chinese are
racially incapable of ever evolving a
modern government and that, there
fore, China should have the assistance
of the other nations in working out a
wholesome and stable national exist
ence, If for no other reason than to
save Asia from Communism.
Y * y
Mr.. Abend, before suggesting his own
solution, tells of the various sufferings
of China's multitudes as he has known
them during four years of residence in
China as a newspaper correspondent.
The work of these years neceSSitated
many trips, ranging from the Manchu-
border in the far north
to the Hongkong- Canton area in the
far south, journeys up the Yangtze
River and tours of investigation in
and into other provinces in the
Political crises, famines, civil
wars, Communist uprisings, the activi-
ties of missionaries and of foreign and
Chinese educators, medical men, states
men, diplomats, bankers, merchants-all
Of these things were grist for the repor-
torial mill" Few, If any, of the tangled
problems of China remain undiscussed
~ this book. The possibility Of China s
going Red" endemic and epidemic
Eamines and their causes in nature and
in the rapacities of the war lords, the
past and the future of the missionaries,
the growth of the poppy and the re-
sponsibility for the opium trade, German
advisers, foreign business men in China
and their relations with the Nationalist
government and other parties, "propa-
ganda and press" finances, armies and
railways; treaty tangles" and clash
ing cultures" are analysed from various
points of view-the Chinese Nationalist,
the international and that Of the
Chinese masses.
y y *x
The solution which Mr.. Abend offers
appears a possible one, but at present
seems to have little support among the
nations of the world. He advocates a
conference Of the powers which signed
the Washington Conference agreements
or Of the signatories to the Kellogg
BRAND treaties to consider the future OF
China. 1T Is possible that the mere
calling OF such conference would SO
shock and alarm the Chinese leaders
that they might of their own accord
reach some agreement which would
give the people of China at least a
breathing spell. Failing such happy
and, alas, not altogether probable eff
feet, the powers would then be justified
in warning China that If peace were
not arranged within a given time and
some beginnings made for the rehabili-
tation of the country, a benevolent In
tervention would be begun. This
warning. of course, would have to make
clear that no permanent impairment OF
China's sovereignty was intended, and
that there would be no permanent &C.
cupation of Chinese territory and no
alienation of q single foot of Chinese
land. But if China resisted
There would be war, of course. But ii
would be short war, and not costly in
either lives or money" He goes on to
explain that seizure of the ports would
be simple, that foreign military control
of the railways and of the Yangtze
River would easily follow, and that soon
1.-The Chinese armies would be power
less, and the Chinese people would
awaken from a 19-year nightmare OF
civil war, insecurity, and extortion to q
period of peace, honest administration
and reconstruction"
In 1.-THE Good Companions" J. B
Priestley showed his knowledge of the
life of the English working classes anc
of strolling theatrical companies; in
Angel Pavement" he is equally under
standing of the social struggles of the
middle class. In one of his chapters
Mr.. and Mrs. Dersingham entertain al
dinner in their lower maisonette" al
34a Barkfield Gardens, S. w. 5. "They
did not like their maisonette, all the
rooms of which seemed higher than
they were long or broad and were
singularly cherries but as she had
never really decided what it was she
wanted, and her husband never sue
ceeded in knowing where he stood
financially, they remained at 34a, in
the rooms that made them seem like
insects at the bottom of a test tube "
Mrs. Dersingham in her bed room
is anxious. Cook had been rather
cross all day and might spoil every
thing, and even when she tried. she was
apt to make the soup greasy and forget
the salt in the vegetables. And Agnes
the new maid, had pretended to under
stand all about serving, but she was so
stupid that she might easily go stick
ing vegetable dishes under peoples
noses anyhow, and there was bound to
be some awful confusion when it came
to clearing the table for dessert. You
could laugh it off, of course, but you
got so tired of laughing it of. How
terribly tiresome it vast And then,
too, all the time you were so worried
serving, you were expected to be keep
ing the conversation going, terribly
bright and hostessy." Mrs. DerSingham
seeks compensation in imagination and
the SILLY girl'' in her wishes that she
were a terribly successful actress" liv-
ing in a marvellous little fiat with
a devoted maid and a huge car in
which she would drive off after the
play, clothed in Russian sable coat
and diamonds, to a perfect little sup
per where every one would stare at
her: or that she were terribly sue
ceSsful woman writer" with a villa on
the Riviera. where distinguished people
would continually come to call; or that
she were terribly rich," with a house
keeper and Is servants and a town
house and country house, and a
dark young man, very aristocratic and
a racing motorist or yachtsman or
something like that" terribly in love
with her. But fancies of this sort do
not take her through the ordeal of the
dinner. Her guests arrive-very ordi-
nary guests, without elegance or refine