New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-26

Our EASTERN QJks IloN Ae neloA -, a.
Chias and lapsS b. Thomas A5,-i N.Hs sSd
tu,hor !" -. ~ o.esfto, . etc Illustrated
with photographs and MAPS small S'' "
v 5i3 TIE Century Company.
This is history written while you
wait: bu. il is carefully and author
itatvely written, and is Of immense
utility as an encyclopedia handbook Of
what. save for the War of the Ma
tions. is the most important interna-
toual problem IN the world. Ii covers
only the period from the close OF the
Russo-Japanese War 70 the present
time, coming as far down as the deaf n
OF Yuan Shih-kai and The accession OF
Ii Yusn-hung IN China, in June OF the
present year. But that period com
prises the whole development Of the
existing Eastern question. 1t covers
that important ground with painstak-
inc minuteness Of detail, yet with un-
tagging interest; and though II RECORDS
important events within few weeks
az the date of publication of the book
there Is not a trace of hurry or scrap
piness. The narrative is related IN
finished form, and the comments upon
il are deliberate and judicious. Or
course. such work could be done by
only an expert journalist as well as a
historian. and by thorough master
of the subject through intimate first
hand knowledge. ..
The story naturally divides itself
into four parts. The first begins just
after that too-little understood Peace
Of Portsmouth, in which American good
Offices saved Japan from sudden
transformation from victor into van
ouished. Il was one Of the most NOR
dant ironies Of fate that when the INK
on that treaty was scarcely dry the
two late antagonists joined hands
against the very power which had
served as peacemaker between them.
Russia and Japan defeated Americas
plan for naturalization OF the Man
churian railroads. Yet Secretary knoXs
efforts were successful in disclosing
two facts One was that other nations
were insisting that Chinese railroads
should be built TO serve, not the needs
Of China herself, but the strategic re-
ouirements of those alien powers. ne
other was that those nations claimed
the right 10 intervene between emma
and American citizens, 70 the contra
vontion Of our clear treaty rights.
These things were surely enough 70
make America "sit up and take no
tice." What we should have done must
be matter for speculation. For then
came the second part Of the drama. in
the Chinese Revolution. with the do
nestle intrigues of Sun Yat-sen, WI
Ting-fang, Tang Shao-yi. and Yuan
Shih-kai; ending i'm the assumption o.
supreme power by the last named The
financial problem was the most press
ing. and. in spite of Russia's open and
Japan's secret opposition, the United
States succeeded in arranging for a
Eix-power loan. under prudent restrc-
tions and with o reafiirmation by the
movers Of the Hay Doctrine Of the
open Door and Chinese integrity. But
then came the meddling and muddhng
of the Wilson Administration, with
drawing America from the loan on the
pretext that the conditions might i'm
pair China's independence. The result
did China no GOOD. and American pres
tipe in the East much harm.
The third part is the War OF the
Nations. which tied the hands OF Eu-
rome and left Japan free. She seized
Kiao-chau. and then took the bit be-