The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-01-16
U. S. ALWAYS LEFT !.
IN CHINA-DENNIS

= -E . -
SAN FRANCISCO. Cal. Jan. 18.-
The startling assertion that the for
eign business policies Of the United
States are not equivalent to the d.
plomacy Of other nations, was made
by w. G. Denn11. formerly Of Rich
mond. Ind. recent legal advisor to
China, who arrived here recently on
the Pacific Mail liner Venezuela.
Dennis, speaking at q dinner given
him by the Chinese Six Companies, a
local Chinese business organization,
is quoted by the San Francisco Jour-
nal OF Commerce as saying:
Americas foreign failures are most
strikingly illustrated by the railroads, /"
says Dennis. IF you take railroad
map Of China today there IL scarcely
a line that has not at some time been
planned or surveyed or franchised by
an American. Yet there Is not an
road In China at this time.
"Of all the world nations America Is
conceded the railroad builder par-ex-
cellence. OF all the fields in the world
for profitable railroad building, China
Is the greatest.
1.-THE men that went from this coun.
among some of the greatest and most
aggressive the United States produced
Their foresight into the possibilities
China offered gave them the lead on
promoters from any other country.
'"They were welcomed by the Chi.
nese officials. The railroad franchises
granted American firms far exceed the
concessions made to any other foreign
concerns.
Built First Railroads.
these men surveyed and started
the first railroads in China. The
opportunity then became evident
throughout the world. France ant
England and Germany and Japan went
into China to build railroads.
Then began the competition that
American companies have proved in
capable Of meeting from the start, and
are today as hopelessly beaten as they
were when they lost the Picking Hang
kow railroad-the most favored line
in China.
What is the trouble? The State
Department and the Consular Service
cannot be given the entire blame.
Other Nations Jealous.
If an American railroad were pro
jected through a certain territor,
franchise granted by the Chinese gov
eminent, and full support given by tn,
Chinese public, that franchise woult
almost invariably be contested b!
some nearby foreign railroad arguing
that the American venture was in con
dict with their franchise
TN the international diplomatic con
troversies that followed, the American
firm wozd lose. I am not saying VIII!
they lost, or blaming any country o.
any department of this country
But the fact remains that despite
the merits Of the case, the result wa!
always the same. The American prof
ect was abandoned, sold or tied up, de
pending on the extent to which plan.
had been developed"
Japan's Purpose
Dennis lays stress on the importance
of the consortium that is now con
sidering advancing money to bull,
new railroads in China. He says tina
plans are now tied up because Japal
wants to mark off several sections o
the Chinese republic as her persona
field of railroad building leaving tn
remainder of the program to be equal
ly undertaken by the other powers
He warns America to insist that an
international Enterprise in China b
tackled only on mutually equal basi
America has the money. he says. an
the very best she can do is to pla
an equal part in any internations
project that is undertaken.
THE opportunity that China offer
railroad building has never been equa
ed in the world" says Dennis. 9TH
roads have been laid no more tina
scratch the country. The lines ths
should be built within the next decad
or two will run into hundreds of thou
ands of miles. They need systel
more extensive than that of the Unite
States, and today they have but fe
thousand miles. And perhaps nowhel
in the world do the railroads pay 6
we'll as in china. / cannot think of
single line that is not now payin
tremendous profits.
What is America going to do abo,
it,"
A Chicago business firm pays
bonus of 500 to any emDlOyo who a