New-York tribune., 1919-06-15

THE inside workings of Chi
nese politics in reference to
n the Paris negotiations are
illuminated from the jap
nese point of view by an article
eublished in the recent number of
he Toxic Jill" said to be one of
ne best informed japanese publica-
ions on matters Chinese. The arti-
lie reads:
"Ku Wei-chun (quite popular among
ais American friends under the name
i DR.. V. X. Wellington Koo), Chinese
minister at Washington and one of
he Chinese envoys at Paris, has at
tempted to present China in the pa
thetic role Of damsel in distress
firtuous, tender, guiltless and with
out protector in the diplomatic
arena. His colleagues tacitly supported
the scheme. Ku wished to make this
role of defenceless China appear as i'm
pressive and dramatic as possible. For
this end he had to introduce vii
iain. Japan was to be played up as q
monster of soulless autocracy, relent-
less, cruel, ever thirsty for the blood of
its prey. He tried to impress his col
leagues with the paramount impor-
lance of this feature. But in this he
clashed with China's chief envoy to the
peace conference, Lu Chen hsiang, the
Minister of Foreign Affairs of China
"Lu, on his way to Paris, stopped
at Toxic and had a preliminary dis
cusson with the Foreign Office of
Japan over the German lease Of Kiao-
chau and the German rights in Shan
tung. Lu did not deny the effective
ness of ku's programme. On the con-
trary, he thought it excellent. But he
saw at once that it would put him into
an embarrassing position with the
representatives. Of Japan. A high Of
fetal of China, as is the case in some
other countries, also, is inclined to
frown upon the crude practice of
springing inconvenient truths. He has
a much more artistic way of attaining
the same end
go Lu announced that the condition
of his health required a trip to Switz-
erland and a brief vacation in an at
mosphere less strenuous than that of
Paris.
Wang Cheng-ting, another envoy of
China to the peace conference, encour-
aged Minister La in this line of action.
Wang is we'll known as the speaker of
the Senate of the late and lamented
(by the southern faction of China)
Canton Parliament. Wang was once
student in Japan. He has been known
as a pro-Japanese politician. That was
before he met V. c. Wellington Koo
last year.
at seems that Koo succeeded in
converting Wang completely. Wang
went over to the United States to in
duce the United States to recognize the
Canton government of South China.
He tried to carry out his mission
through the Chinese minister at Wash
ington, Wellington Koo-there was no
more effective way to attain his end
DR. Koo had married a daughter OF
Tang Shaoyi. ore of the we'll known
leaders of the southern faction. 1t
was natural for young koo to do what
he could for the success of Wang's
mission. And it was more than nat
ural for Wang to have a change of
heart on the subject of Japan at Paris,
when he recalled all the kindly efforts
made by koo in America to help him in
his errand. While he was working in
the United States the war ended sud
denly. Koo came TO an understanding
with Wang. And that understanding
amounted to something like a political
parinersh hip-so far as the peace con-
ference was concerned.