The Washington herald., 1918-02-09

We have not heard from Chinese
politics for q very long time, SO
long. in fact, that We can well take
time to consider what are some of
the developments.
The doctrine laid down by China's
diplomatic leader in this country,
DIR. v. wellington Koo. is being
widely disseminated in his home
nation at the present time. En-
phatically marked upon 1t, as it is
being carried hither and yon in that
vast kingdom. is the statement that
it appeals to Americans, in the light
in which it is set forth. and that
the Chinese problem is looked upon
almost precisely as DR.. Koo treats
it in his recent statement before
an American academy of science.
In this statement to the learned
philosophers of our own land, DR..
Koo followed the course OF frank
ness. He set out just what he be-
lieved to be China's problem, and
this, he summarized in these words:
we see then, the New China,
with her vast potential wealth and
power, is progressive in spirit and
still peaceful in sentiment. That
such q, country will sooner or later
have a great deal to do with the
future of the world. no one will
deny. What, then, is China's rela-
tion to the worlds future? The
answer really depends upon what
policy the other nations adopt Wis
avis China, and what treatment
they accord her. To be more def
mite, 1t depends upon whether they
continue to permit themselves, or
any one of them. to bully and brow
beat her, committing one assault
after another on her sovereignty;
or seeing the injustice of these acts,
acknowledge her right of existence
and extend sympathy and SUPPORT
to her plans for progress. 1t de-
pends upon whether they continue
to keep the shackles of extra-terri-
toriality, treaty tariffs, leased ports.
railway zones and the like around
her body; or recognizing the unwis-
dom of such a policy, aid her to re-
move them and restore to her full
liberty of development. In short,
it all depends upon whether they
continue, in regard to China, to pur-
sue selfish policy of obstruction,
interference and aggression, hoping
thereby to get share in whatever
spoils may come; or whether they
realize that such a course is sure
to lead to conflicts. rivalry and an
tagonism, to disturbance of the
peace of the nations; and that the
best guarantee for the open-do
policy. for the principle of equal
opportunity and impartial trade for
all, and for the devotion of her
wonderful resources of wealth and
power to peaceful purposes, lies in
a strong and powerful China; and
upon whether, realizing all this,
they accord her that respect for
her rights which they demand of
her for their own rights, and con-
scientiously assist her to attain the
end which is to be desired as much
in the common interest of the world
as for the sake to her own welfare.
No one on this side of the Pacific
fears that We will have trouble
with this vast country, or with lit
tie Japan, whose assurances of
friendship we have been receiving
in many packages of late.
But the problems are problems to
be studied-and watched. 1t is our
duty to foster the friendship that
will ripen as time goes on-after
the removal of German autocracy
from the world-but it is also our
duty to see that, insofar as our in
fluence can extend to China and
Japan, the peoples there shall be
given the same present of democ-
racy that we hope to see made a
gift to all the balance of the world,
in due time.
John Skelton Williams is nothing
if not interesting. Here we have
at last his admission that a limited
guarantee of deposits for national
banks should be incorporated in
our Federal reserve bank law.
When the law was in the making
the effort was made to put this in
. that document-and the men who
tried it had the reward of being
touted as administration opponents.
The fact Is, in several of the West
ern states guaranty laws are in
operation IN State banks--in most
Of them "a psmasratis statutss. tQa
I. q