CONTEMPORARY CHINA TESTIFIES TO ETERNAL FLUX OF IMPERIAL RULE

Dominance of militarism, lack of political unity, and the rise of a new nationalism are three outstanding factors in the condition of China today, the Reverend R. M. Bartlett, pointed out to a CRIMSON reporter. Dr. Bartlett, who is a graduate of the Yale Divinity School, and who has recently spent three years in China, gave a graphic description of the conditions in that country.

China Goes Merrily 'Round

"Observers have spoken of China as the merry-go-round of the world. In this strange land presidents, emperors, and governments fall one day, and rise no more; kings are imprisoned, railways are commandered, and treasuries disappear where no auditor can trace them.

"China is today the great military training camp of the world. The traveler meets soldiers at drill along the royal roads, in sacred temple courts, in trampled grain fields; in town and city he is awakened by the blare of the buglers; along every highway, camels, locomotives, buffalo and donkey carts are in busy traffic for the war god.

"The world laughed in her cartoons and journalistic satire at the bird cages, umbrellas, and fans of the Chinese soldiers. But this soldier of yesterday is passing. The informal pleasant weather fighting has been displaced by modern war, and the 3,000,000 armed men have become a song of death to China, and a menace to the entire world.

The War-God Rules

"For a decade, militarists have dominated the struggling Republic. Fidelity to high principle and public spirit seems wholly alien to the war lords, and heavy taxation, robbery, and greed are the sins of all. It is only through the force of the strong arm, through the criminal control of district coffers, suppression of popular opinion, and vicious propaganda, that each militarist supports himself and his clique.

"The valueless paper currency coined by the war chiefs in pay for their troops, is forced upon the local people by each succeeding wave of arrivals. Theft and looting have closed or ruined the stores and business houses. Trade is impossible. The railroads have been declaring dividends only to the militarists; troops have been the chief traffic, while the stock has been abused or ruined.

Opium Problem Important.

"The problem of opium has a direct bearing upon militarism. It is a patent fact that opium growing has become more extensive in the provinces. The country itself which nine years ago was almost rid of opium, is now the scene of a brisk smuggling trade that is protected by the militarists for the sake of the large revenue the opium trade yields. Lack of political unity is easily recognizable in china, tor while the Chinese have a remarkable solidarity, there is nevertheless, no well-articulated national feeling. The imperial government has been a mere figure-head to the far distant provinces. The center of Chinese government has been the village, and village democracy, in turn, oenters in the office of elder, and seldom reached as far as a provincial loyalty. Moreover, the Chinese life owes a primary allegiance to the clan, and not to the nation itself.

Holds Magnificent Distances

"In addition China is a widely separated empire Its 18 provinces have no intercommunication. The railroad system is a mere toy, and connects only a few centers. Mountains and great distances split the people into separate units. Differences in the spoken language, southern and northern antipathies, and provincial jealousies augment this division. There are practically no news papers, and only ten per cent of the populace can read. It is impossible to build a national feeling or a public opinion with no tools.

"The new nationalism, which is the basis of the anti foreign movement, is becoming the basis of a patriotism which demands the union and preservation of the Chinese people. The political significance of this Nationalist movement is great There is opposition to the foreign control of post office, customs, rail ways, and revenues, urgent demand for the abolition of the existing unequal treaties with the Great Powers, for the abandonment of concessions, legations, foreign courts, and consular jurisdiction: and a zealous effort to curb the colonial expansion of the imperialistic powers.

"Again, the movement is characterized by opposition to communism and the principle of class struggle. A very whole some negative plank is that which aims to kill the provincial quarrels and national divisions. The new patriotism aims to abolish civil war, banditry, military chiefs and war lords, in order to preserve the people before they perish.

"On the positive side, there is to be a complete political reform, with the ideal of a democratic form of government. The masses are to be educated, and trained for their new citizenship. A livelihood is to be offered the people. There is to be a strong national police, and an army and navy which will hold the respect of the world.