REVIEWS OF RECENT BOOKS 185 



dency of China must have been a cause of much poignancy to the 

 Author. He offers much wise criticism of the relation between the 

 Provinces and the Central Government but whether his scheme of 

 federal authority would terminate in peace and prosperity of the nation 

 as a whole is doubtful. China has few men of the quality of a sage. 

 For the most part the men that seek authority are corrupt, un- 

 principled, arrogant and ambitious, and inefficient. 



To foreigners in particular this work should be very welcome. For 

 here we have a Chinese writer dealing with the thorny history of 

 foreign and Chinese intercourse in a perspicuous and moderate manner. 

 There is no trace of bias even in the discussions that deal with episodes 

 that show injustice towards his own country. Everything is stated 

 historically, reasonably and philosophically. Nevertheless the reader's 

 mind carries away a strong impression that the rights of this country 

 must be maintained and, in future, international justice must be 

 applied to it. The legitimate interests of foreigners are great, and the 

 nation that acts justly and helps this country in the path of moral and 

 material expansion will reap the rich rewards of legitimate profits. By 

 doing what is politically right more rewards will come than by hunting 

 for concessions and pursuing the ways of force and such like. 



Post-war problems are discussed. Mr. Cheng feels the danger of 

 Japanese control. Should such eventuate the door would be closed to 

 the West. Japanese dominance would be morally indefensible. The 

 Author looks to Great Britain and America to prevent such an outcome. 



All students of Chinese things must get this book : they can't do 

 without it. It would be well if every business house recommended 

 their staffs to study it. It would be profitable to the mind and for 

 trade. M. 



Old Tartar Trails. By A. S. Kent. Shanghai : North China Daily 



News and Herald. 

 There is nothing startling in this narrative but the interest of the 

 reader is well sustained throughout. There are no thrilling experien- 

 cies of travel, no encounters with bandits or wild beasts : there isn't 

 even much beauty of road or country in the description. Nevertheless 

 Mr. Kent manages to keep the reader's attention. In easy style, clear 

 English, and, seizing the salient facts of the journey the narrative 

 never wearies the reader : it proceeds smoothly, with enough reality 

 for others to share the travels of Mr. Kent. 



A book like this will be welcome. Mongolia is a vast territory, 

 poor and desolate in many parts, sparsely populated and withdrawn 



