New-York tribune., 1900-07-05
4 FATAL ERROR IN CHINA.

1t is difficult to avoid the conclusion that
dreadful error has been committed by thu
Powers in dealing with China. There was
ample warning long agO that the Boxer uprising
against foreigners was assuming vast proper
tions and was likely to enjoy at least a measure
Of Government encCEIrl cement. 1t evident
long ago at least to Rear-Admiral Kempff who
openly and repeatedly made his conviction
known, that large army would be needed 70
protect the foreign legations and TO maintain
foreign interests generally. Yet practically no
steps were taken toward securing and sending
in such force. a mere handful of men was
sent They were splendid men. under one of
the best of commanders But they were as
inadequate TO the task Mrs. PartingtOn's
broom was to that of sweeping back the Allan
tic Ocean They failed. at fearful cost. And
now the world sees the appalling spectacle of
hundreds of men, women and children perish
ing in Peki1g through battle starvation or
nameless tOrtures. and not a man of all the
great armies of the world moving TO the rescue.
1t is now about a month since the desperate
plight and urgent need of the foreign colony at
Peking We're made known, at least fore
shadOwed, but even now no one seems able to
predict when it will be practicable to organize
expedition of relief Yet Peking is only
few days march from the coast where scores
time could have been. landed at three days
notice had the Powers been so disposed.
We said AT the beginning of these troubles
that the most serious danger lay in international
iealouSieS There are several Powers which
have selfish aims in China, and which permit
themselves apparently even in so grave crisis
as this. to be Influenced by those aims 1t seems
inconceivablP that any civilized Power would
incur the risk Of the awful catastrophe that is
occurring at Peking rather than let another
Power interfere to prevent it. Yet what else
are we to think? There was one Power. and
only one. that was able At the outset. that has
at all times been able and that is able at this
moment TO rush in an Irresistible army to the
rescue of whoever may be left alive in Picking
and to the suppression of the anti-foreign out
break. That Power is known and has all along
been known, to he eager TO undertake the work
Why has it not done so? We know Of no pos
sible answer that already indicated
namely, that some other Powers or Power
would not and will not consent to 1t for fear the
intervening Power might thus gain some advan-
tage in the scramble for fragments of broken
China. Because of such fears and jealousies
the foreign colony at Peking has been aban-
doned to its fate.
There is to-day nothing upon which the most
competent Judges of the situation are more fully
dEl''u t4idH 'Hal WHAT Is needed is large
completely equipped army os homogeneous com
position, furnished by single nation. Such an
army, and the one of all on earth best fitted 70
operate in China, IS waiting under arms only
nine hundred miles away. But It is not per
mittcd to move. In the face Of the urgent need
at Peking it is decided to await the slow process
Of weeks or months until from the other side of
the world-from southampton and Havre and
hamburg and CronStadt-can come ships bear
ing the parts of composite army, whose mem
herS are to pay unc-tenth of their attention To-
Suhduing the Tartars aud ninc-tenthS to watch
ing each other OF truth. that is a Concert Of
the Powers, 1t is fatal error. Japan. as the
executor Of an international mandate could
have planted her flag at Peling weeks ago II
viii not be easy for those who objected 10 her
doing so to escape blame for what has happened
because she did not do So