The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-07-16
Editorial.C Comment
on Current Subjects
ALAS, The POOR CHINESE!

From the Wheeling Intelligencer.
While the right OF every people ca.
pable Of self-government 10 choose
their own governors is the essense OF
democracy, and democracy Is the thing
for which we have been fighting. The
lntelligencer confesses that 1t is un-
able to get wildly excited over the ter
rible fear that 100000 Chinese in
the Shantung Peninsula are going t.
De enslayed by Japan. II we are to
credit the historical walls of Senator
Hiram Johnson and Senator Borah,
the most Ubiquitous outrage in all his
tory Is going to be committed when
German rights in the Shantung Pen.
lnsula are taken over by the Japanese.
Not only are the rights of small peo-
pies to express themselves being yio-
lated, not only are the fourteen, points
being broken TO pieces, not only will
the integrity of ths Versailles confer
ence be impeached, but the very foun-
dations of the American republic will
begin to totter. the hopes of human
ity for all time will be dashed to MOTH
ingness, the sun will cease to shine.
the rain to fall and the earth to bring
forth Its fruftage, and-God forbid
even the founts of senatorial oratory
may be dried up. II the, disposition Of
the Chinese in the Stantung Peninsula
is the only serious objection to the
League OF Nations, then the sooner the
treaty is adopted, covenant and all, the
better, II for no other reason. for keep
ing loud-mouthed Republican Senators
from making jackasses of themselves.
Never, since the world began to be.
were the Chinese OF Shantung self.
governing. Never In all history, has
Shantung enjoyed the first taste OF
Democracy, and the people are about
as well prepared for it and about as
well fitted for II as the Moros of Min
danao or the Eskimos of Alaska. Ger
tainly, the condition of the Shantung
Chinese will not be made worse by the
surrender of whatever commercial
rights and whatever territorial foot
hold Germany had in the Stantung to
the Japanese, and we must not over
look the practical fact that Japan was
entrenched in the Shantung Peninsula,
backed up with a formidable army, and
neither the United States nor any 9th.
er power had any particular desire to
u7d 1;2hc the prodigious task of fore.
6 b = .olt.
-: i:e@ty negotiated at Versailles
f1i I ce facts as they were, not as
let 81 Y i-eyod dreamers would have
them. II ,sel rot pretend to undo all
the. wro.gs TIA, have been done
through C. Il e.. 1t does not pre-.
tend to bring equal justiceto all man.
kind and TO bring liberty to people who
are not fit for liberty. 1t Is carefully
considered step towards better condi
tions throughout the world. 1t does
right some wrongs that arc ages old.
1t does free oppressed nations OF Eu.
rope. 1t does give the Christians OF
Armenia and Syria and the Jews of
Palestine chance to breathe freely
and uplift their heads in the sunshine
of liberty and of religious tolerance for
the first time in nearly fifteen hun
bred years. 1t does right the crime
against Poland. 1t does herald the
dawn ola new day to many millions of
people who have suffered and sacr,-
feed in this great war. but 1t does not
make the ignorant Chinese of SHIN
tung fit for self.government. Nor does
1t pretend to free the Egyptian fell
laheen from the, rule OF Great Britain,
a rule that has brought them more
property. more happiness and more
of the things for which men work and
live than they or their ancestors have
ever had. 1t does not give political