Because the victorious Cantonese are in alliance with the Russian
Bolshevists it is often assumed in this country, not unnaturally, that our interests are in the keeping of the northern commanders who want to prevent the Cantonese from overrunning all China. But this is not necessarily a fair assumption. The northern soldiers are rapacious, ruthless and anti-foreign ; the Cantonese are perhaps even more anti-foreign, but they are unquestion- ably better disciplined. A considerable degree of dis- cipline can alone explain their regular successes. Of course, their Russian allies are particularly bitter'enemies of Great Britain, but there are already signs that the Cantonese, though they are temporarily availing them- selves of Russian help, want to be rid of it as soon as possible. It is the Bolshevist spirit that has made the position of the Canton Government almost impossible at home. The result is the projected removal of the seat of government to Wuchang. • * * * *
