The farmer and mechanic., 1915-08-31

the Chinese government cannot De
depended upon TO maintain law ana
order and to protect life and property
throughout the empire.
But if the constitutional change IS
successful it viii be of the greatest
Importance to the Washington gov
ernment, for the reason that it VIII |
put China herself in a position to re |
sist the future aggression of Japan |
in the event Of the triumph or the |
Allies in the present war. Japan's S |
recent aggression h;.s worked her
much damage. 1t is clear that she |
has weakened her position in the eyes
Of the other powers of the world by
her attempts on the sovereignty OF
China, and she has also lost such
Chinese friends as she had.
My Oriental correspondents in
form me that these Chinese boycott
against Japan Is steadily growing
more effective; and If Yuan Shih-kai
as Emperor can make himself head
Of a strong centralized government
he can become the rallying point for
all the antiJapanese sentiment
among the enlightened class of his
countrymen. That such a leader for
resistance will be needed is clear
enough.
For it is plain even to the casual
observer that Russia and Japan are
in view that if they triumph in the
present war, Russia, controlling the
| Dardanelles, will be the dominant
| factor in Western Asia, and Japan,
controlling China, will be dominant
| in Eastern Asia. By the signing of
| the Treaty OF Portsmouth Russia
| agreed to share her interest in China
with Japan. When Secretary Knox,
a few years later, undertook the ma
| tionalization of the Manchurian rail-
| roads, the result was to throw Russia
and Japan into each others arms.
Since this war has been under way
all the information from both Japan
| and Russia is to the effect that there
is an open, aVoWed and continuous
effort on the part of both powers to
get closer together in their operations
for the control Of Asia If the Allies
win, dominance in the Near East will
fall to Russia, dominance in the Far
| East to Japan-the latter a long step
| toward the realization of the ambi-
ton of Asia for the ASiaticS' Eng
land and France will not like it, but
they will not be able to stop it; for
Russia and Japan are their allies,
and they will put forward a claim
for what they want if the Allies are
in position to divide up the plunder.
But if Germany were in a posi-
ton at the end Of the war to force
a settlement advantageous to herself
it is clear that she would have great
er power to compel Japan to relin-
, quish her grasp on the throat OF
, China than would England anG
France in the event Of victory fol
the Allies. And this is more in &C.
cord with the interest Of the govern.
ment Of the United States
: "All the nations of Europe un
, doubtedly recognize China as the
e great undeveloped and unexplore(
trade area of the world, and the vari
l Gus nations are laying plans to ex
e tend their trade in the empire. Ger
S many had a splendid base at Using
S tao-a city built for her purposes
e She wanted trade in China, and
e sphere of influence in Shantung Prov
: ince: Japan wants China.
It There is no reason to believe tina
: German statesmen are blind to tn
fact that China is still the creates
/ undeveloped field, or that f circum
p? stances at the end Of the war are fav
1t orable to them they will resume thei
e enterprises in this quarter; and
4 would easily be possible for Germa
e craftsmanship, in the event Of Ger
Ie ton where German interests in tn
n Far East would be identical wit
le those of the United States
h Hitherto the United States ha
L taken the diplomatic lead in the a
al fairs Of the Far East, particularly i
l. the substitution Of the open-door po
Te icy for the system of spheres of il
f1uence, which looked to thed ivisio
OF of China among the powers. In shor
to John Hay took the lead in establish
g ing that equilibrium in the Far F,a
ty which Japan in one stroke has d.
Id stroyed.
or 'That this aggression of Japa
b. menaceS our trade interest in CHR
&c is clear to every one who has ar
ge knowledge Of the situation, and II
+ feeling is general among students
r Far Eastern affairs that it is the sp
of cial task of the diplomacy Of Was1
er ington to put itself in the position,
d the close Of the war, to compel Il
up REIMBURSEMENT of Japan's hold {
nd China-tO do this wit hOut he Ica