Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-03-11
ATTEMPT TO END
CHINA VANDALISM
Asiatic Institute of New York
Protests Against Plundering
of Antiquities.


TO the vandalism that has appeared IN
China by which she is being ruthlessly
plundered OF her antiquities.
The statement places the RESPONSE
bility for this situation on the develop
ment of the present European museum
and collecting system. 1t constitutes
an appeal to nations and organisations
TO call a halt in this widespread
plumber. often involving bloodshed, in
the interests of science and IL fair play
for China and her coming generations.
The monograph contains private OFF,
cial and public papers. 1t voices
| China's protests thus:
The Asiatic Institute has received
Chinese protests dating back six years
| emphasizing Chinese adherence of
the European system. whose practices
have now. invaded China These prac-
tees are widespread piliaging OF tenn
pies. and sacred places OF the dead
and other ancient works in Africa and
throughout Asia, in the name of SUI
perior civilization, punitive warfare,
science or other subterfuge. They
protest against the Introduction into
China OF a foreign conception of time,
OF science and OF history by newer ma
lions whose sense of antiquity as
peculiarly exemplihed in their museum
system enables them to participate in
and foster the destruction ard robbery
of holy things"
The havoc and destruction referred
to is specified as follows:
"In the revolutionary interregnum
between the winter of 1s11-12 and the
summer OF 1913. sculptures and other
antiquities native to China underwent
destruction on a large scale by for
eign and native vandals in the interest
OF foreign dealers and museums.
"In 1913 there was a general divi-
sion among museums OF the world in
l Guiding at least two American mus
Gums. OF several hundred cases of
sculptural fragments broken from
their settings by one and the same
+. body OF vandals. This evil has grown
up so suddenly-it has come about
since 190S-that foreign peoples and
foreign governments have not appre-
hended II. No one is aware of ii ex-
cept the museums involved, their
agents and Intermediates land the
alarmed Chinese"
In a statement made to The Asso-
ciated Press, the secretary OF the
Asiatic Institute says:
"All signs seem TO indicate that dep
relations have commenced upon the
arch Biological and art wealth of China
to an extent even greater than the
vandalism with which Europe visited
the art and beauty of the shores OF the
Mediterranean The market for Chi
nese antiquities, particularly sculp-
lures, came with the close of the Russo
Japanese war, but no nation bears the
stigma of being chief vandal in China
The market is an international one,
and has been developed under Japan
csc and European direction with Paris
as headquarters. So well has the mar
ket been worked by the dealers that
the increase in prices of Chinese sculp-
ture in the past five or six years has
been 40 or so times. For example. one
piece of sculpture of North Wei times
9Th century 4. D.-estimated to have
cost $500 in China, after passing
through only two or three hands, is
held by a dealer at $4,000. One |
American museum has ten stone beads |
broken from statues in the interior OF
China All large museums of the |
world have, or are acquiring, similar
fragments. Collectors and museums |
in America are sending special repre- !
sentatiyes TO China with large sums
OF money TO buy. Similar expeditions
are setting forth from Europe.
Realizing the menace to the
sculptures OF China the Asiatic Insti-
tute is cooperating with the China
monuments society of Picking, whose
is composed OF the foreign |
ministers at Picking OF Great Britain,
Russia, America, France and Japan
men who see the situation close at
hand and are aroused by #"
One remedy which the institute pro-
poses In its appeal is the return to
China by all responsible governments
and institutions, OF stolen Chinese
in accordance with a pre-
cedent OF the French government and
of the Smithsonian institution, which
in past years set a example by re-
turing to China archaeological and his
torical objects OF which she had been
robbed, and which had come into its
possession.
The institute proposes also. the
stopping OF further indiscriminate pur-
especially OF broken sculp-
lures. In it's appeal for the coopera-
ton OF libraries. museums, scientific
societies and collectors, II says that
the vandalism has reached the mag
nitude OF a great crime, and should
arouse international opposition.
To plumber and destroy China's an
Equities" says the appeal. tends to
break down Chinese society. II Grip
Plies research and education. and re-
tards progress. American influences
have shaped the Chinese revolution
and are working for the conservation
of life in China. To American institu-
lions OF civilization is given the chief
opportunity OF combating In ChinS
destructive activities OF western
origin. Upon these rests the chief re-
possibility OF using those means
a IL e..