The sun., 1901-09-04
China's Expiatory Mission to Berlin

II IL possible that the Chinese mission.
headed by Prince CHUS. which came 10
Europe for the purpose Of apologizing
for the murder IL Baron Won kETrELER.
the German Minister at Pekin. and
which is sojourning temporarily at
Basle in Switzerland may refuse To
proceed to Berlin. on the ground that the
conditions prescribed by Kaiser Will
HELM II are inadmissible. II is 10 be
hoped that the conflicting views regard
ing the ceremonies to be observed will
be quickly harmonized. for n failure tn
fulfil the intent of the mission might have
serious international consequences.
The Berlin Government demands, II
is said that. when Prince CHuS is off,
cially received, his attendants shall
prostrate themselves before Kaiser VIII
HELM IL, or. in other words. perform
ceremony identical with the kow-
towing" required OF those Chinese who
enter the presence Of their own Emperor
The attendants, who are men OF rank
in their own country. reply that the act
Of obeisance demanded Is due from
them To their own ruler alone, and that
the performance Of IL az Berlin would
imply on their part a recognition OF
equality between the German sovereign
and the Son Of Heaven" Nor is there
belief that such recognition would
| cost them their lives after their return
| To China II IN evidently unreasonable
! 10 exact Of these Chinese envoys a viola
/ ton Of their native etiquette which
might eventually expose them to capital
punishment. Moreover, Kaiser Will
HELM has no right to claim from China =
I representatives marks Of respect diff
ferent from those which are expected
/ of the German Minister AT Pekin. when
/ he approaches the Chinese Emperor. II
i is well known that foreign Ministers
I have long refused to perform the kow-
} tow" which was formerly n condition
/ Of presentation at the Court Of Pekin.
! The outward sign Of humiliation. upon
which Emperor WILLIAM is said to insist
is one which no other sovereign would
| now dream Of imposing
There seems to be disagreement
/ also ~ 20 the form 81 words in which
/ the apology which Prince CHrN has been
| instructed 10 tender shall be couched
/ We are told that his orders we're 10 say.
The Chinese Governments regrets thai
Baron Won kEITFLrR was killel" IL
! Is obvious that the Court II Pekin could
/ not 60 much further without mourning
! a crave loss of dignity IN the ewes of its
{ SUBJECTS lnss which Germany should
wish tp avert, II. in common with the
other Powers interested In the Chimes.
problem. IL sincerely desires To " save the
/ face of the Manchu dynasty. and TO
promote ~ efforts to restore order and
/ tranquility The alternative formula
which kaiscr WILHELM is said to pre-
scribe, The Chinese Government be,s
pardon for the murder Of the German
Minister. Baron Won kET1ELER." Is one
wh,ch never would he PROPOSED 10 q
European Power. and which. mauifes,lv
the Chinese cnvovs could not accep,
without rsk,ug their heads For 3,
PLAINLY umplie~ that the Pckin Govern
mrnt r-"li l. d,rstly rs~pnnsiblc for
the murder of the German envoy, a
cume ~hich by tacit agr~-mrui has
h~~n iinrut"d io " Boxer rebels whom
presumably Mo pckin Officials wer.
unable o. r-pr,~s We sAy that such
a tacit SgrvssloEt cl.sss, ioT. Il Bsr0a