Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-03-19
PRESS WELCOME BREAK
 WITH GERMANY
General Approval of Decis- ion to Join U. $. in Protest
 to Kaiser.

J
 Peking, Feb. 20.-Chlna's decision to join with the United States in it's protest against the new German sub marine campaign was received witn marked enthusiasm by a great ma jority of the Chinese press.
 For days before the ca binet reached the decision to support the American position, the most progressive news papers and younger members of par liament were active in urging China to assert itself and take an interna- tional position along with the great world powers which are resisting the new submarine regulations.
 It was new China, rather than old China, which aligned itself with the United States. Many of the older members of the cabinet, as we'll as older parliamentarians, were opposed to the movement.
 German financiers ana diplomatists worked hard to prevent China from taking a position along with the United States. Offers of loans were made, the past acts of friendship on the part of Germany were recalled, and the recent aggression" on the part Of Japan was cited by the Ger mans as a reason why China should retain Germany's friendship and in- yoke her aid in preventing Japanese expansion after the war.
 Japans opposition to China's en- trance into the war, which prevented China from becoming belligerent on two previous occasions, was not wholly relaxed. Japanese politicians worked far more quietly, however, than on previous occasions. The in vitation from the United States for China to join in the protest against the German submarine campaign was far different from the Cvertures from England, France and Russia for the entrance of the Chinese republic into the entente.
 Much as the Japanese leaders dis like to see China take it's position along with the world powers with chance that it will figure in the peace conference following the pres ent war, they could not consistently offer open opposition. Chinese off, cials were solicitously advised against haste, and many efforts were made indirectly by Japanese to prevent China from accepting the invitation of the United States.
 When the cabinet reported to a joint session of the house and senate that it had decided to avail itself of President Wilson's invitation, there was much enthusiasm. All the mem- bers of the cabinet appeared before parliament and asserted that hun .dreds of Chinese lives already have been lost as result O. the German submarine campaign. A very large number of Chinese were killed when the British steamer Harpalyce was torpedoed between Rotterdam an1 Newcastle. Many Chinese were also killed on French and Japanese steam CTS torpedoed in the Mediterranean. The cabinet members explained that the extensiCl of the German subma- rine campaign would mean a greater loss of Chinese lives and property. Should the Chinese government fail to protest against tho 1ew campaign, the cabinet r,c1lters insisted that China would b. Suninely permitting new principles Q De written into in- ternational law which are wholly jl violation of human Walfare.
 Paul S. Reinsch, the American min lster, has been hiehly praised by the Chinese press for his successful ef- forts in winning the leaders of the Chinese government over to the posi- tion of the United States and induc- ing them to take stand against the extension of the submarine cam paign.
 The Peking Daily Gazette, which is a representative of the more mod ern newspapers in China, says of the Chinese action: Although the maxi mum so far contemplated by China is simply rupture ot diplomatic re- lations with Germany, it is quite cer- tain that she will not hesitate to fol- low wherever America may lead; and that the United States will be in- volved in open warfare almost imme- diately is certain