the dissolution of Parliament.

Meanwhile on the 5th June, the United States, which had been alarmed by
these occurrences, had handed China the following Note hoping thereby to
steady the situation:

The Government of the United States learns with the most profound
regret of the dissension in China and desires to express the most
sincere desire that tranquillity and political co-ordination may be
forthwith re-established.

The entry of China into war with Germany--or the continuance of the
_status quo_ of her relations with that Government--are matters of
secondary consideration.

The principal necessity for China is to resume and continue her
political entity, to proceed along the road of national development
on which she has made such marked progress.

With the form of Government in China or the personnel which
administers that Government, the United States has an interest only
in so far as its friendship impels it to be of service to China. But
in the maintenance by China of one Central United and alone
responsible Government, the United States is deeply interested, and
now expresses the very sincere hope that China, in her own interest
and in that of the world, will immediately set aside her factional
political disputes, and that all parties and persons will work for
the re-establishment of a co-ordinate Government and the assumption
of that place among the Powers of the World to which China is so
justly entitled, but the full attainment of which is impossible in
the midst of internal discord.

The situation had, however, developed so far and so rapidly that this
expression of opinion had little weight. The Vice-President of the
Republic, General Feng Kuo-chang, unwilling or unable to do anything,
had already tendered his resignation from Nanking, declaring that he
would maintain the "neutrality" of the important area of the lower
Yangtsze during this extraordinary struggle; and his action, strange as
it may seem, typified the vast misgivings which filled every one's mind
regarding the mad course of action which the rebellious camarilla had
decided upon.

Until Saturday the 9th June, the President had seemed adamant. On that
day he personally saw foreign press correspondents and assured them
that, in spite of every threat, he would in no conceivable
circumstances attempt the unconstitutional step of dissolving
Parliamen