POLITICAL STATUS OF MONGOLIA, by Tennyson Tan, B.A.: The Mercury Press, Shanghai, 1932. Price $8.50 (Mex.).

The political status of Mongolia is a subject that has been lost sight of to a considerable extent of late years, mainly owing to lack of news from that country. While Manchuria has been in the limelight, Mongolia seems to have slipped into the limbo of forgotten things. Yet the future status of Mongolia is of vital importance to at least three great countries of the world, Russia, Japan and China; and beneath the seemingly calm surface a titanic struggle is actually taking place between these three countries for ascendancy in the deserts and grasslands of the home of Genghis Khan.

Mr. Tan's book, therefore, comes opportunely, for very soon now the struggle for Mongolia must make itself felt, and it is as well to have the viewpoint of at least one of the protagonists in the fight.

China claims suzerainty over Mongolia, and always has done, since she became a republic in 1912. This claim appears to be based upon a conquest of Mongolia by the Chinese during the Ming Dynasty and the further fact that during the Manchu Dynasty that country was included in the Chinese Empire. There is another claim, at least to considerable areas in Inner Mongolia, namely, that arising out of the fact that the Chinese have settled in and are cultivating the land there, having ousted the nomadic Mongols. This is exactly the same claim that China has to Manchuria: conquest by peaceful penetration.

The question arises, is this an adequate reason for claiming possession of a country? Undoubtedly the Mongols do not think so; and it is also certain that the aboriginal Tartars, the Goldis, Gilyaks and the like, of Manchuria, what few there are left of them, would prefer not to be governed by the Chinese, but by their own chiefs.

Soviet Russia has already absorbed Outer Mongolia, and Mr. Tan points out that Japan is aiming at dominance in Inner Mongolia. The Mongols, themselves, seem to have little to say in the matter; but unquestionably the large number of Chinese settlers and farmers in Inner Mongolia will resent Japanese intrusion if they do not openly oppose it with force.

Mr. Tan's book is beautifully printed and got up, while its subject matter is interesting.

A. DE C. S.