The Washington times., 1915-07-06
President Yuan's Rescript as to
. Coastal Waters Clever
"Joker."
WAY NOW OPEN 70 LEASE
Strategic Move For Safety Of
Military Establishment Of
Mikado's Kingdom.
BY OSCAR KING DAVIS.

nrst-class example OF the gentle art
of saving the face. as II IL 80 we'll
understood in China and Japan. 1t Is
the mandate OF President Yuan Shin
kai announcing the determination Of
the Chinese government not to cede
or lease any territory along its coast
to any other power.
IT takes the form Of a Presidential
rescript on a memorial from the tsan
cheng yuan, or council OF state. To
read 1t one would think that the sub
ject was entirely new, and that II had
originated solely with the tsan cheng
yuan, Instead OF having been In the
MIND or every person familiar with
Chirese affairs and interested in the
salvation of the Chinese nation for
months and years. 49,.
Clever Little Joker.
Especially has the matter been in
mind out here during the last few
months, for the Japanese demand re-
garding It. and in answer to which this
mandate is Issued, was one Of the
clever little Jokers inserted into the list
handed to President Yuan by Minister
Hioh on January Is.
If China had fallen into the trap so
craftily set for 1t by Japan in this de-
mand. the ratification of the pending
treaty would have found II under a
Japanese protectorate. and the question
OF Chinas further relations with the
other powers of the world would have
been left either to Japan or the settle
ment of arms.
Having successfully evaded the i'm
mediate crisis. there remains some hope
among friends OF the Chinese nation
that ultimately there will be found a
permanent way out OF the difficulty.
During the last days Of the Ching
regime" says the memorial. when the
power and influence Of the nation were
in the decline. the coast was the scene
of many military activities. (The Ching
regime was the late Manchu dynasty
Consequently, some parts of the coast
were ceded or leased to foreign coun-
tries.
For Coast Defense.
Thus many strategic points fell into
the hands OF foreign countries, and the
means of defense was practically lost to
China. whose people since then have not
been able to enjoy peace
This Is directly In conflict with the
principle OF defending the country by
occupying the strategical points. We.
therefore suggests to the government
that at this time. when our country has
just passed through a period or suffer
ing and pain. we should profit by the
past experience and make a plan for
the future.
An open order should be given to the
ministries OF war and navy, as we'll as
to the provincial authorities. to give es-
recial attention to the coast defense. 30
that the people residing in these re-
gions may live in peace in their homes
and pursue their occupations.
"A declaration should be made to |
the world that hereafter no part OF |
the coast or islands; bays. or ports
shall he ceded or leased to |
any foreign country. with a view that |
the nation may be at ease that its
defense Is secure while peace may |
reign among the different countriss. |
at a meeting held on the |
18th day Of the NTH month (May 12). |
and then passed unanimously.
We hereby respectfully present
Yuan's Rescript.
President Yuan. having received
and considered this suggestion for a
day, issued his formal rescript on the
14th. as follows:
"Sirce the coast regions are in close
relations with the national defense.
and, therefore, should be we'll guard
ed beforehand, the suggestion OF the
tsan cheng yuan IL. indeed. farsight-
ed. and it is hereby promulgated.
port, bay, or island thereof will be
ceded or leased to whatever foreign
THE miniSteries or war ana navy,
as well as the provincial authorities Of
the coast provinces, are hereby in
structed to be specifically responsible
for the defense of the same, so that the
of the nation may De con-
solidated.
formal act In response to the Japanese
demands. The result is not at all what
Japan sought when she included the
non alienation paragraphs IN her lists
of the conditions on which she would
agree to preserve the peace of the far
East.
It is to be remembered in all con-
sideration OF this situation that Japan
repeatedly notified China that unless
the Chinese government acceded to these
for the rupture of the peace which
would probably follow. Unless China
gave up the things Japan wanted. she
would herself be responsible for the
Absolute Dictatorship.
But China has wriggled out Of this
particular demand. for the time being,
and 1t now remains to see what Japan
will do next. The mandate of President
Yuan is assuming to be authoritative
and being Technically China is arepub-
lie, governed under constitution and :
having due process of law. In fact.
China is an absolute dictatorship. gov
erned by the mandate Of Yuan Shih-kai.
Therefore, in fact, neither the minis
tries of war and navy nor the privincial ,
authorities OF the coastwise provinces
will ever cede or lease any Chinese ter I
ritory Nor would they have done SO IL |
the mandate had never been Issued.
The contract, convention, or document
or whatever name by which that would
be accomplished would be signed by |
entirely different officials.
But the mandate has been issued.
China has made ostensible compliance
with the revised Japanese demand. and
the world Is informed that no Chinese
territory along the coast will be alien
ated-as long as Yuan Shih-kai Is at |
the head Of the government, and un-
less some power causes him to change |
his mind
The original japanese demands con-
tanned two articles aimed at nonaliena- |
tion OF Chinese territory to any third |
power. Japan was careful to exclude |
herself from this promise that she |
sought to exact from China China was |
to be left free to cede or lease any part |
Of haF IN