A NEW CHINA

Hokitika Guardian, 18 April 1932, Page 8

A NEW CHINA

STUDENTS AND POLITICS. COM MUN ISM RAMPANT “Politics are to the Chinese .students wlmt sport ia to the New Zealander,” said Mr R. Alley, a Christchurch limn, who has returned after live years’ service with the Shanghai Muinipal Council iu an interview. Mr Alley had J many interesting observat.ous to made about Chinese policits. “Many of the student* look on the present Chinese Government as conservative, and as being a little too anxious to play' into the hands of foreigners,” he said. Dr Sun Vat Sen’s violent nationalism said to have been meant as the cementing force of the new China, had rather failed to achieve its object, lie said. In some parts of China, Mr Alley found, Com in un ism of a type wa> nourishing—particularly in Kiangsi, Hunan, Hupei, and Honon. In Hupei the cult was rampant; Communist bandit sold ers dominated a large portion of the country, and the suppression of these men was the most difficult problem facing the governing bodies. Government troops had been used in force to quell disturbances, hut without much avail.

"At present Russia controls outer Mongolia. The Chinese consider this part of their country. Russia also plays an important part in tile government of the huge province of Sinkiang, a country rich in minerals, and of great potential economic value to China. ■'Many of the leaders of the now China are men of excellent type, and' the Central Government includes on its staff men of modern mind, and truly patriotic,” Mr Alley continued, “Gut they find the problem of the provincial militarists, who control large bodies of soldiers, difficult to solve.”

A GREAT FLOOR. Mr Alley wns connected with relict work in flic Yaugtsc Valley, in China, when a disastrous flood in China’s old-man river caused terrible loss of life and suffering. About of).000.000 people must have had their livelihoods directly affected by the catastrophe, be said. While* lie was stationed on relief work in Flankow. 000,000 refugees were camped near the city. The flood destroyed the system of dykes, which prevented flooding in [ mu m.'d periods., and the National Relief Commission was entrusted wilb their reconstruction. When Mr Alley left China, 250,1)00 men were employed on this undertaking. Tl'l K RECENT STR t'CGI/E. Mr Alley also gave his imnress'oiis of tin* recent struggle between the Chinese and the Jananesc. “A great deal of real bitterness 'ms Ip'pn aroused bv the .Japanese, am this feeling - ill : he "tamped out in a short time,” lie said. I’ho bny(.,,11 nf their goods, which had followed the Met lolls of ‘he -lapane.se in Manchuria. Imd cut deep into Japan’s economic heart, and I hi- people, nnvoiis about the trade iliev were losing i:i China. Java, tlm Federated Malav shales, and elsewhere, had looked to the militarists to remedy the situa- |