Evening star., 1934-06-10
BY SIR ARTHUR SALTER,

BY SIR ARTHUR SALTER,
Author of Recovery; The Second Effort"
y HAVE recently revisited China
after an interval of three years,
and it may be of some interest
i to record my impressions OF the
principal changes that have taken
place in that time.
In this vast country. comprising
fifth of the worlds population, with
limited resources and poor communl-
cations, any changes within few
years necessarily must be, IN COM
parison with those possible for good
or bad in induStrialiZed countries,
mere ruff1ing of the surface of an
ocean. The congestion in the cultl-
waited areas doomS the mass OF the
people inevitably to little more than
a bare subsistence: the distances,
made greater in effect by paucity OF
transport. compel the economic life
and the actual government to be for
the most part local and provincial
rather than national And these
fundamental conditions cannot change
Or, at best, can change only very
slowly. We must remember these
things to see in their proper per-
spective any changes that are taking
place.
In external affairs the most impor-
tant event of these last three years is,
of course. the conflict with Japan.
For the time. at least. the situation
seems to be tending to a rather pre-
cariouS stabilization. The more ma
tionally conscious sections of the
Chinese people, such as the students
and a considerable proportion of the
statesmen. continue to resent bitter
ly not only the attack on Shanghai
but also the loss of Manchuria. The
general sentiment among those who
take an active interest in political al
fairs remains strongly against formal
recognition of Manchukuo or the
definite abandonment of rights by
treaty
Inability Of Waging War.
At the same time, those in respon-
sible positions recognize China's in
ability to wage successful war OF
under these conditions. of a policy of
pinpricks and provocation. For the
time the subconscious desire is per-
haps to forget" about Manchukuo.
Internally, the Communist con-
f1ict is more restricted in its range.
1t remains active in the southern part
of one province, Kiangsi, where some
thing like real Communist state is
In existence and has maintained
itself, under able leadership. against
Chang -kai-shek throughout an al
most continuous campaign OF three
years. In general, in China the
Communist" movement is essentially
in the nature of 1recurrent agrarian
revolts, which would become of little
Importance if the economic conditions
of the peasant producer could be I'M
proved.
The congestion of population sets
limits to practicable amelioration, but
Improvement is possible and the great
est factor in it is the cessation of civil
war. And here very real progress Is
being made. The internal conflict is
now restricted in range and has
changed its character. Except IN
Szechuan and the northwest there
is no active conflict between rival war
lords. Each province has a govern
ment that is more or less effective
in its own area and is not aiming at
the conquest of other provinces or
the seizure of the central government.
Moreover. the provincial governments
are more disposed to recognize at least
a kind of suzerainty of Marking. The
conflict with Japan has increased the
feeling that there must be some au-
thority which can speak for China, at
least in external affairs.
Desire for Reconstruction.
And, above all, there is now much
more definite and determined desire
throughout China to stop civil war
and turn to economic reconstruction.
The internal conflict now, much more
than in the past. turns upon personal
jealousy of the commander in chief.
Chang Kai-shek, and fears that he
will make his rule more of a military
dictatorship. These fears are In
creased by the visible decline of the
effective power of the party, the
Kuomintang. and the more complete
personal dominance of the Marking
government by Chang Kai-shek.
The jealousy of the National gov
eminent felt by Canton remains active
and is shared by the southwest
provinces generally However. the
universal disgust with civil war is
strong barrier against this jealousy
developing to the point of actual con-
fict. In general, we may state that