10 MARCH 1917, Page 2

We may suppose that of the two or three millions

of Chinese- who form that small minority of the population which knows that a war is going on, many must be asking themselves what advice Confuchis, judged by his teachings, would have given his country.' men were be alive to-day. That is a difficult question for a West-' erner, and not an easy one for an Eastern social and political- philosopher, to answer. Nevertheless, greatly daring, we hazard the guess that the sage's counsel would be based upon the One remark in regard to war recorded of hime-a remark of supreme wisdom " If I fight I win." Those five narrow words cover the whole of military science on the political side. There is no benefit and no sense in semi-war measures—" armed neutralities," " a state or war unaccompanied by acute hostilities," declarations - guardel by regiments of " ifs," or-other "-substitutes for war " or synthetic imitations bf-blood and iron. Nations most either remain- at peen or invoke that will like a dividing spear which knows no -doubt:se no hesitations, no ehrinkiags, endue timidities--which wills to wins