New-York tribune., 1910-06-22

El2keSsfp-
CHINA AS SAW II. BY A. 8 Roe.
NTth thirty-nine illustrations. SVo, Pp-
zsi The Macmillan Company
-rhe historical. economic and political
literature Of TIE new Far East has
grewh 20 such rcnderous proportions
tl.;.t none but the specialist can hope to
:,asfer IL such Z brief. Informing sur
xcv OF the whole subject as that given
IN China and the Far East" viii there
fore probably not fail of q friendly re-
repfion by the interested layman, who
NAV gain from il sufficient information
&c enable him TO follow future develop
r7errs with understanding. 1t is likely
also that the book will lead him to more
5etailed study OF some Of the phases of
The urobIern wherefore it is to be re-
sreited that it lacks photography.
or the twenty-five chapters from diff
terent pens of which the volume con-
sists fifteen deal with China, her chang
ing internal conditions, her status in
world politics. her foreign trade. her
sIplomatic and commercial relations
with the United States. etc. There is a
dear exposition of Chinese monetary
conditions by Professor J. W. jerks.
Major Eben Swift, u S. A. writes of
the country's new army, and Professor
Harlan P. Beach treats of Christian mis-
kiel.s there since the days Of John of
Nontecorvino Modern Chinese educa-
ton, both at home and abroad. is dis
eussed at length by Messrs- H +. Mer-
rfll and D. Z. Sheffield. the latter in
forming US that we need to guard
against the msconception, which has its
source in ignorance, that ancient Chi
uese learning is without present value,
that while il has perhaps answered some
good purpose in the past it has nothing
10 contribute 10 the present or future.
All these writer's unite lin praising the
admirable qualities of the Chinese and
the vast scope of their possibilities. but
ell unite also in giving the impression
that the future of China is as yet most
uncertain.
An appreciative chapter on the China
man in Hawaii. by Mr.. A F. Griffiths
ends this part OF the volume, its later
contents being made up OF articles on
the relations between Japan and China
and Japan and the United States by
Jananese writer's and on the japanese
army by Major Swift. who estimates its
present strength on a war footing at
eight hundred thousand men, and adds
some information on the navy as we'll
He. by the way, appends to his article
3 brief photography. Mr.. 7. F. Millards
paper on The Need of Distinctive
American Policy deserves special at
fenticn.
Corea is the subject of the last three
charters. Professor George L. Ladd
here assures US. on the authority of the
japanese Resident General. that the
open door policy in Corea has been
from the beginning maintained by the
Japsnese government. and adds that
he believes this declaration understates
Inc truth. The author of the article
an Manehuria has another tale TO tell
of unfair japanese competition. But he
ADDS:
Popular resentment against Japanese ae-
tiors and lack of confidence in the quahts
81 Japanese goods are steadily increasing.
however and these facts as well as the
X >k Of Ja-anese ca pital even in the lace OF
government subVention, VIII IN the Iong
nun telld to lessen the menace of Japanese
competition 10 general foreign trade
Miss Roe's book is exactly what its
title proclaims il TO be, record OF
personal observation and experience
she travelled extensively, in China dur
inE the years 1907 and 1903, and, in a
chatty way her gossip of daily happen
ines on road and river, in hosiery and
mission station and Chinese house is
rather pleasant reading. although she
can tell us little that is new, coming,
as she does, after so many others VINO
have travelled and observed before her,
and written books about what they have
seen. Her chapters are composed of
letters which she wrote home to Eng
land Evidently she has had the good
1 sense 10 print them unchanged. with the
H result that one can trace in them as ne
goes on. the transition in her attitude
from 2 great measure of "a certain con-
descensiorl'' 10 d better understanding
of country and people. China As L
Saw Il" tells of food and manners and
customs. Of the discomforts of trans
;,ortat ticn. of superstitions and religious
rites, without much attempt at gen
eralization that pitfall of most traV-
ellers in foreign parts.
With the great problem of the a"ak-
.I.lns Of China the author does not con-
Germ herself. except incidentally here
aud there. but she does suggest hith-
erie, neglected subject, the humor of the
corfusion OF me new civilization with
fat old. which Sarah JeaDnette Duncan
saw in Japan some twenty years ago.
.na described SO deliciously in "A So
Gal -Depar;ure' Miss Roe merely in
o.;cates il III passing reference:
There i d certain pathetic side. TO TINS
r,ew c-az, IL [ una for education anu
Wtstelr kg.op ledge IA any shape or form
Even -soe min who advertised mat IL
could teach the English language up 10
rhs lF1ee - probably did not lack 'oi
pupils
A: the end Of her book the author pays
tribute 10 the marvellous vitality OF this
ancient race. its energy, patience. per-
severance. skill. economy and intellect
nal endowment This conclusion is not
drawn by her direct from her own OBJ
serpations. however; rather does she
discover them TO be confederation of
what more experienced observers have
said She agrees with the author OF
Chinese characteristics that China
needs character and conscience yet IN
her book there is no evidence OF the lack
of either of these qualities in the people
- ,..L,.ro she "a me- into nerSOnal con-