The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-06-29
cHINA's GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
Her Entrance Into the War lnsures
Her Place Among the Nations as

F1er Entrance tnLo Ine war ihSNSS
Her Place Among the Nations as
an Independent Power.
Boston Transcript: The entrance or
China into the war would be OF great
advantage to the enemies OF the CEN
trail empires, and it Is to be hoped
that the influence OF WI Ting-fang,
as premier, will be exercised in the
direction Of such participation in the
great drive of the democracies against
absolutism as is practicable. China,
as is we'll known, has only the material
OF armies, but 1t has that material in
abundance, and 1t has been thoroughly
proved by the American Ward, the
English Gordon, and others" that
Cinnamon make brave and competent
soldiers under proper command. But
it is not the military, but the economic
and Industrial resources of China that
would be Of the greatest assistance to
the allies in the war. China possesses
not only iron, coal and great stores OF
food, but she can offer vast armies of
workers who are we'll capable of TAX
! ing the place of Europeans and Amer
leans who are with the colorss Owing
to our exclusion laws, 1t is not likely
that we can avail ourselves, on our
fields and in our shops that are cry
ing for workers, of the services Of the
Iexcellent Chinese. But they can be
sent to Europe in great numbers; and
! if we achieve the renewal and con-
solidation of the Russian resistance to
| the central empires and IL American
engineers and railway men turn the
Trans Siberian line once more into an
efficient means OF communication the
resources of China could be made
available to Russia and Rumania,
while the men and the coal and iron
aid other materials could be sent to
western Europe and America by wa
tier. g
So much for the advantage to the
entente allies. What advantage would
China herself derive from participa-
ton in the. war? In the first place, an
instant promotion of the Chinese re-
public to a position of respect among
the nations, and a deliverance from
the spectre of partition. Japan and
the great powers of Europe, after
China's entrance into q war alliance
with them, and after the performance
of service which might have an i'm
portant bearing on the prosecution of
the war. would never be able to turn
and rend China. The republic would
be in a vastly better position to regain
Kiaou-C hau, which the Japanese have
taken from Germany under a promise
to restore 1t in due time to China, and
other territories which have been ap-
propriated by foreign powers. 1t has
been the helplessness Of China under
isolation which has exposed the coun-
try to these spoliation. They would be
at an end with the end of that isola-
ton, and with an alliance which would
mean valuable service to the western
world. Such an alliance would check
the aggression Of Japan. and provide
China with most valuable support in
the maintenance of her independence.
And in the second place, 1t would
strengthen the hands. of the liberal
leaders in China, and afford TO them
guarantee of the continuance OF their
leadership. 1t would commit the
country definitely to railway extension
and other improvements, to modern
military organization, to full ard free
intercourse with the western world.
No alliance has offered better chance
OF mutual advantage than the lighting
connection with the enemies of Ger
many which President Ii Yuan Hung
and Premier WI Ting-fang undoubt-
eddy favor.