The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-10-04
PROBLEM IN CHINA
official "Next to" the Situation
Tells of II.
BRITAIN'S QUEER POLICY
Holds on TO Anything Till 1t
Proves Worthless.
New York Evening Post service.I

London. Oct. 3.-To ind man who can
sneak with exactitude and hrst-hand
knowledge upon the China problem
which now besets American and British
statesmen alike is no mean discovery. l
make, therefore, no apology for forward
ing the following notes from an English
man who knows his China as l know Eng
land and has been good enough to send
me from his present station at Ching
choofu. 1t will be seen that this author
ity has no manner OF hesitancy in pro-
claiming Britain's proper policy in the
Far East and the Importance of his state
ment lies in the fact that the view he
expresses is widely held in British circles
In the Far East, and is now being pressed
upon the British government with I'M
wearying persistency. Wei-hai-wei Is 4
standing illustration of the way in which
British statesmen jump about from point
to point in their China policy-at one
moment joining in the game OF grab and
then, when they find the thing grabbed
to be of insignificant value, turning
around and protesting how splendid are
the British principles of China's terri
torial integrity and the open door for all.
But suppose Russia and Germany do
between them show the complete futility
of this magnanimous British policy!
Their respective positions in Manchuria
and Shantung have already proved the
absurdity of keeping up the pretense OF
a China intact, and if the open door prin-
o;-la alSo abandoned lnWOrka bile
what are British statesmen to do but fol-
low the giver from ST. Petersburg and
Berlin and make the Yangtse Valley as
Manchuria must become Russian. and
Shantung is now German? AT any rate,
here are the notes of my well-informed
friend in China-well-informed. that is to
say. of Anglo Chinese opinion, and of the
general trend of foreign policy in the
Far East. He says:
The hosting of the German flag at
Tsingtau some years ago marked the first
stroke of the axe in the partition Of
China. but this was known only by the
few out here who are capable Of judging
the whole Tar Eastern question outside
minor spheres of purview. Subsequent
to that highly important event-which
marked out a new era not only in the
affairs of this ancient Empire, but also
in the whole trend Of Asiatic politics,
and even the relations between the great
states of the world-the situation, TO Dor
row nautical phraseo1ogy, backed and
filed, but never for a moment did
deviation take place in the set of the
current. This statement may appear to
h hut &
true, and as you seem to have in your
western world a set of self-appointed sea
lawyers of the worst kind, who stand up
in public places and champion the cause
of things Chinese with little more than
a rudimentary knowledge of their sub
ject ii is about time to come down to
bed rock in Far Eastern affairs and find
out how matters really stand.
IT would have suited Great Britain we'll
enough to do her utmost to patch up and
keep China intact, and especially so had
she been given solid assistance from
group of great powers, but it must have
been evident to those who assume re-
sponsibilty for Britain's foreign policy
that since the seizure Of territory out
here again. no outside nation, with the
exception of Japan. would play In this
matter in the way we desired. Russia
would not and therefore France held
aloof; Germany made up her mind to
plunge into coloDization schemes that
will yet cause heart-burnings and re-
markable schemes in the Raichstag when
the settlement of colonial accounts comes
I'D for discussion. and far away Shan
tung continues to cry Give give! like
the daughter of the horseleech.' Uncle
Sam swore eternal allegiance to the myth
ical open door pulled his goatee.' threat
ened fleets. protested and still protests:
His limit is reached-so We Britishers
think out here Japan and England blus-
ter, assume airs. rendezvous fleets, and
still frown menancingly. They will DO
no more And, finally. Chinese states
men at the capital while declaring that
the empire will not bulge an inch, are
rapidly filling their pockets with Russian
rubles, and receiving large commissions
from Belgium and other concessionaries
on the sale of China's heart blood. This
cry then of China intact which the
clique at home to which I have referred
continues to emit on suitable occasions,
should be stifed. Such platform is
burst flush. Let them look at matters
as they are fair and square.
Prussia has Manchuria and Mongolia;
Japan should follow Marquis Ito's old pol
lev and stand pat on Korea with Britain 8
full support; Germany as measure OF
punishment for her original sin of start
ing the game. has Shantung and its de-
velopment on her shoulders and any
hinterland that her finances may desire
TO develop-perhaps the well-known Pc
king syndicate Of British capitalists
might feel inclined to do a deal' France
has as much on her hands in southern
China as the Government OF Toneuin. the
Bank Of France. and the Credit Lyon
ais desire to undertake for the present
Our allies might well devote some of their
attention 70 the mainland abreast OF For
uosa. while we for once in a way should
declare a cut-snd-dTy Yang-tse valley.
I,e, Britain give wei-hai-wei over to the
Fatherlaud in order that Germany may
feel more comfortable in her China Rus
so-Cerman understanding. and have full
scope TO cultivate Muscovite friendship.
and le; the British nautical equipment
and gear 70 Chusan. from which tight
little island Britain can more easily safe
guard and protect the interests OF the
Emperor OF China in his Yang-tse dorin-
ions There must be no more talk among
Britsin's German friends OF their &C
quiring an interest in the left bark of
the great waterway The union JACK
viii protect this part q China and the
Germans will do far better for themselves
and their trade and make more uaorrey
within such a sphere than they ever