CHINA: Prattling

While in Peking Mayor Ho Chi-kung last week ordered all native women under 50 to bob their hair forthwith, or pay a “degeneracy tax”;

While in Peking the Mohammedan General Pai Chung-hsi swaggered riotously with 2,000 Mohammedan stalwarts;

While in Shanghai policemen courteously admonished boys and girls not to drown themselves for disappointed love (as hundreds have done recently) but to discuss national politics;

While these things were going on in China last week, callow Nationalist officials prattled of grandiose schemes. Most pompous was that of Wang Peh-chun, Minister of Communications. With his department $700,000,000 in debt, he propounded a “General Plan on Communications.” He would spend $10,000,000 developing long distance telephone service; would build 77 radio stations. He thought $150,000 would build the radio stations, $1,000,000 operate them. More magnificent in plans, he proposed to build 60 locomotives, 150 passenger coaches, 1,300 freight cars. He would establish flying routes between Peking and half a dozen other major cities. But he did not bother to show whence the money would come.

Historians recognized the rodomontade common after most revolutions. Italy and Russia now have their great prattlers. France had them after 1792, and the American Colonies after 1776.