Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-23

Assuming its genuincrcss. which remains
to be proved or disproved. the appeal of
the Chinese government to the United
States to mediate to prevent a war upon
China by the powers does not alter In any
appreciate degree the present aspect of
the situation. 1t can not force any change
III the American policy in any event. the
fuIadament of that policy being to protect
our own in China primarily. and to pre-
serve China from Acknowledgement second
arfly. Indeed. the appeal to the United
States. if sincerely made. is directly in har-
mcny with that policy. the United States
being pre-eminently qualified to Serve in
such capacity.
Il is easy to forcsee the American reply
10 such a proposition. This government is
bound to answer that it requires enlighten-
mcnt as TO the conditions in China, and
particularly at Pekin. before it can move
as mediator. 1t must be assured first of ali
whether the appeal comes from govern
ment in fact or merely a government in law
without actual power. 1t should be in
formed whether this government, If as
sailed by an insurgent movement. is suf-
Gciently entrenched to reassert itself with
the aid of the foreign powers.
The United States will undoubtedly also
require from the government at Pekin as
surances that its minister is alive and under
sufficient protection before 1t will assume
to propose terms to the other powers. For
without resorting to the rather extreme re-
fponse of France. it can rot undertake to
transact business with China save through
the representative already accredited, whose
official status has never been altered
Whatever the United States does on a dip
lonlatic basis for or with China must be
done through the regular channels of inter-
course and to this end Minister Conger
must be preserved from death or injury.
1t would be greatly to China's advantage
In connection with its appeal for the aid of
the United States If the Pekin government
could manage to send Minister Conger. if
yet alive. to Tien Tsin, and there to estab-
lish him as n medium of communication.
Surrounded by the allied forces and secure
against murderous assault. he could serve
China and the United States far more eff
fectively than at Pekin. whose character
as a capital mas beea utterly destroyed by
TIE activities of the insurgents.
So the requirements of tho United States
are simple and reasonable If China wants
help she must first reveal the nature of the
active government ard the status of the au-
thority now represented as appealing for
aid: she must provide responsible medium
of communicat ton by preserving the Ameri
can representative from harm. and she
should in the interests of entire good faith
ard certainty of procedure, establish that
minister in place from watch he can
quickly and regularly communicate with
his own government. with China and with
the representatives Of the other powers.
To this end II China genuinely desires to
be shielded now from the possible results of
her own weakness and folly she could do
nothing better than to transfer her own
governmental agencies from Pekin TO Tien
Tsin and there proceed to utilize the IA
verable inclinations OF the United States to
the full and to transact the work of re-
storation of peace to China in the view of
all the world. Meanwhile this country must
await verifcation Of the appeal and identi-
fcation OF the Chinese government"