Evening star., 1935-12-01
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ing 1t depends upon circumstances.
Chang Kai-Shek has furnished the
force in the form Of what comes
nearer being q well-equipped, we'll
trained and well-officered standing
army than any China has had since
the ancient days. With this army,
which he is able to support by con-
suming the major portion Of the
Chinese budget and even the reported
diversion of funds raised for flood re-
lief, he has brought to a relative end
for the time being-the scourge of
civil war and has thoroughly whipped
the Communists and cleared them
from the southwest provinces, thus
enlarging the dominions Of the Nam
king government.
But rule by force Of arms, in China
or anywhere else. Is precarious med
icine If long continued. The general
issimo's consuming aim, in which he is
joined by the Marking government, Is
to attain the necessary objective Of
intoxicating a spirit of nationalism.
patriotism and love Of country in the
masses of uneducated, illiterate Chi
nese whose traditions have been
mainly centered in the family and In
the clan, who have known little and
cared less about responsibilities Of
citizenship and who have suddenly
been asked to participate-indirectly
it is true-in government after being
taught for centuries that the less they
bothered their heads about the busi-
ness Of government the longer those
same heads would be kept from the
chopping block and the sword Of the
eXecutioner.
Appeal to Emotions.
In attempting to change the deep
rooted psychology Of the Chinese
people and create new one, the au-
thorities at Nanking have naturally
resorted to devices which appeal more
to the emotions than to common
sense. Some of the money spared
from the army, which more logically
should be spent on building roads and
railroads-or, even more fundamental,
feeding the starving-has gone into
ornate stadiums and memorials and
snowy undertakings like the great
Civic Center at Shanghai, where thou
sands Of children have gathered to
display their excellence In massed
calisthenics and where thousands
have bowed thrice before the likeness
of DR.. Sun Yat-Sen in observance
Of the twenty-fourth year of their
freedom and where athletes from the
far corners of China have gathered
to demonstrate their prowess. Boy
Scouts and Girl Scouts have been
organized-along the line of the young
Fascists of Italy and the young Nazis
in Germany-and taught to salute
the flag and do squads-right. And
there has been the New Life move.
ment-all of these things designed tc
furnish improvised traditions of na-
tionaliSm which otherwise would be
lacking; amusing, perhaps, to the for
eigner whose traditions were part OF
his birthright, but deeply significant to
those who have watched the struggles
toward united China.
Vulgarity Has Supervened.
China has had a cultural history oi
some 5000 years, Gen. Chang Kai.
Shek explains Of the New Life move.
ment, with fine standards to guide thu
daily life of the people. But through
oppression and disregard, they have
disappeared and rudeness and vul.
garity have supervened" The New
Life movement has been built around
the four cardinal principles of 'Li,
IT," Lien" and "Chih," which repre-.
sent courtesy, duty toward ones sell
and ones fellow man, honesty, high.
mindedness and honor The move.
ment Is being taught in the school,
and advocated in books, pamphlets
handbills and billboards ano mas:
meetings. 1t has spread rapidly, espe'
cially in some of the outer provinces
and 1t has been taken so seriously that
Europeans have been stopped by Boy
Scouts and politely requested to button
their vests in keeping with New Life
ideas of personal neatness. 1t ha:
sought to ban drinking and smoking
with less success than Gen. Chang
Kai-Sheks own vigorous campaign
against opium smoking. the funda'
mentals Of which are to cure" ar
addict by treatment first and, or
the second offense, to stand him ur
against a wall and shoot him. The
second treatment always results in 6
complete cure. The New Life move
ment has resulted in a number o.
campaigns which. at home, would bt
outlined in a commissioners procla.