New-York tribune., 1919-07-23
China's Lesson

During the last fifty years China, 1t
is said, has been a subject of interna-
tional deliberation no less than twenty
nine times No other country has been
as much becounclled-no one so often
conferred about.
So much so that the Chinese diplo-
mat. one who understands the infinite
complications and has some knowledge
of the voluminous record, has become
distinct variety of the species. Chlna's
involved business is rated beyond the
comprehension of those lacking special
training.
Yet China's affairs, though often
settled, never remain settled. There is
a beautiful agreement with respect to
the principles that China's integrity and
independence must be respected and that
all are to participate equally in her
trade. Yet, in the guise of considering
details, rolling along the alley of events
comes a bowling ball to knock down
the carefully set up pins.
Why does the settled never ccttle:
Why is China the sick man of the Far
East? 1t is worth while for Henry
Ford, whose prejudice against the in
struction of history perhaps does not
run against facts spread before him by
the newspapers of his generation, to
rorder the matter 1t is also worth
while for other eulogists of interration-
..lism and critics of nationalism to
ponder it.
China is source Of continuing
anxiety, it would seem, because she is
pacifist and because, as an incident of
her pacifsm, she lacks ability or desire
to fight. She has disarmed. without
waiting for others to disarm, and in
consequence has been prey of Man.
chin and Mongol, of Russian and Ger
man and, in prior days, of British,
French and Portuguese, and promises to
be the. favored exploiting ground of the
enterprising Jap And when not fu-
tilely wrangling with the alien who
would profane her ancestors, she has
been torn by civil war.
Pacifism may work some time, but not
now Instead of being an example China
is warning. In theory she should
exert healing influence for peace, but
in fact her condition makes for war be-
tween her neighbors, between her and
them, and within herself. Colonel
Roosevelt was anathema during his life
time to professional pacifsts, not be-
cause he loved or wanted war, but be-
cause he was enough Of true political
philosopher to look on the world
as it is and did not see the advantage of
fooling ourselves, if no one else, by
hypocritical pretences.
The world would be more blessed than
it is if China both could and would de-
fend herself against unjust aggression.
Her population is 100000, ,O00--physical-
ly and mentally as strong, perhaps, as
the average of mankind She can guard
her own frontiers. The mere knowledge
that she proposed to use her power in
a Just cause would settle the Chinese
problem. Probably nothing else will.
There is better prospect of peace
through general recognition Of the
duty of protecting oneself than in quot
ing the saying or rankin, tnat the
worst peace is better than the best war
"a maxim in which Franklin did not
himself believe, for he was a jealous
leader in supporting two wars.
Confucius was great man, but he
did not advantage peace much by in
ducing his people to accept doctrines of
non-resstance; and neither do our long
hairs and short hairs help peace wher
they lift their thin voices in complaints
Of nationaisn and Of patriotism, the
spirit which gives nationalism its energy
"Acceleration"