matter what the constitution provides, he will be unanimously
elected President. He must also be able to assure himself that the
two other candidates for the presidency have no hope for success in
the presidential campaign. The provision in the constitution, as
well as the golden casket in which the names of the three candidates
are kept which you have mentioned, are nothing but nominal measures.
Moreover there is no man in China who answers the description of a
suitable, successor which I have just given. Here arises a difficult
problem; and what has been specified in the Constitutional Compact
is a vain attempt to solve it. It is pertinent to ask why the
law-makers should not have made the law in such a way that the
people could exercise their free choice in the matter of the
presidential successor? The answer is that there is reason to fear
that a bad man may be elected president by manipulations carried out
with a masterly hand, thereby jeopardizing the national welfare.
This fear has influenced the constitution-makers to settle upon
three candidates from among whom the president must be elected. Then
it may be asked why not fix upon one man instead of upon three since
you have already deprived the people of part of their freedom? The
answer is that: there is not a single man whose qualifications are
high enough to be the successor. As it is, three candidates of equal
qualifications are put forward for the people to their selection. No
matter how one may argue this important question from the legal
point of view, there is the fact that the law makers fixed upon
three candidates for the presidency, believing that we do not
possess a suitable presidential successor. The vital question of the
day setting aside all paper talk, is whether or not China has a
suitable man to succeed President Yuan Shih-kai. Whether or not the
constitutional compact can be actually carried out in future I do
not know; but I do know that that instrument will eventually become
ineffective.

Mr. Ko: I desire a true picture of the chaos which you have hinted
will ensue in this country. Can you tell me anything along that
line?

Mr. Hu: In a time of confusion, the soldiers play the most
important part, virtuous and experienced and learned statesmen being
unable to cope with the situation. The only quali