We have lately made no comments on events in China,
where the fighting and intriguing have lost their excite- ment to those not directly affected, and there is no end in sight. The fall of a dynasty has before in China's long history been followed by generations of chaos, anarchy and barbarity. Muscovite adventurers and " white " Russians are incidents of which we cannot tell whether the influence will last or quickly wane. The country goes on with no .central Government, and we see at present no hope of union or federalism. The commanders of troops rule provinces so long as they can squeeze out of somebody enough money to satisfy them. That somebody is not necessarily a foreigner, but the desire to squeeze a foreigner is doubtless at the root of the latest troubles and events of renewed " boycotting " at Canton. Yet Canton is indulging hopes of a more stable Government under Li Chai-sum. Lack of cash may also be the cause of the defection from General Feng Yu-hsiang of bodies of his troops under commanders who perhaps see a better chance elsewhere. Meanwhile, Mr. Eugene Chen, with whom the British Councillor for Peking was instructed to conclude the Hankow agreement, has reached Moscow, and thence bewails the fact that the militarists, once Mr. Borodin's friends, have wiped out the Nationalist Government, which for a moment controlled a third of China. Yet there comes now news of a fresh Nationalist Government at Nanking. At Peking fifteen Russians, arrested in the Embassy six months ago, are standing their trial for attempting to promote disturbance. Towards Shanghai the fighting along the railways seems to have flared up again.
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