The Problem of China eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 252 pages of information about The Problem of China.

The Problem of China eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 252 pages of information about The Problem of China.

FOOTNOTES: 

[Footnote 110:  An account of a portion of his work will be found in Tyau, op. cit. pp. 40 ff.]

APPENDIX

While the above pages were going through the Press, some important developments have taken place in China.  Wu-Pei-Fu has defeated Chang-tso-lin and made himself master of Peking.  Chang has retreated towards Manchuria with a broken army, and proclaimed the independence of Manchuria.  This might suit the Japanese very well, but it is hardly to be supposed that the other Powers would acquiesce.  It is, therefore, not unlikely that Chang may lose Manchuria also, and cease to be a factor in Chinese politics.

For the moment, Wu-Pei-Fu controls the greater part of China, and his intentions become important.  The British in China have, for some years, befriended him, and this fact colours all Press telegrams appearing in our newspapers.  According to The Times, he has pronounced in favour of the reassembling of the old all-China Parliament, with a view to the restoration of constitutional government.  This is a measure in which the South could concur, and if he really adheres to this intention he has it in his power to put an end to Chinese anarchy. The Times Peking correspondent, telegraphing on May 30, reports that “Wu-Pei-Fu declares that if the old Parliament will reassemble and work in national interests he will support it up to the limit, and fight any obstructionists.”

On May 18, the same correspondent telegraphed that “Wu-Pei-Fu is lending his support to the unification movements, and has found common ground for action with Chen Chiung Ming,” who is Sun’s colleague at Canton and is engaged in civil war with Sun, who is imperialistic and wants to conquer all China for his government, said to be alone constitutional.  The programme agreed upon between Wu and Chen Chiung Ming is given in the same telegram as follows: 

Local self-government shall be established and magistrates shall be elected by the people; District police shall be created under District Boards subject to Central Provincial Boards; Civil governors shall be responsible to the Central Government, not to the Tuchuns; a national army shall be created, controlled and paid by the Central Government; Provincial police and gendarmerie, not the Tuchuns or the army, shall be responsible for peace and order in the provinces; the whole nation shall agree to recall the old Parliament and the restoration of the Provisional Constitution of the first year of the Republic; Taxes shall be collected by the Central Government, and only a stipulated sum shall be granted to each province for expenses, the balance to be forwarded to the Central Government as under the Ching dynasty; Afforestation shall be undertaken, industries established, highways built, and other measures taken to keep the people on the land.

This is an admirable programme, but it is impossible to know how much of it will ever be carried out.

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The Problem of China from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.