The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-03-11
|lnfAICA MUST UPHOLD
DEMOCRACY ABROAD
BY JOSEPH rrMMoNs.

Shanghai, March i0--~"If America
does not uphold democracy abroad the
day Will come when she Will have 10
fight autocracy on her own shores. II
a strong military bureaucracy gets con-
troll of China. eventually America viii
have to defend herself against attack
by that power"
This is the prediction MADE to me
In an interview today by DR.. c. r.
Wang. one of the Chinese representa-
tives at the peace conference
DIR. Wang has just returned from
Paris by ship through the Suez canal.
He was given great reception and has
students and their elders who have
been aroused to high pitch by his
pleas for unity in opposition to foreign
aggression against the integrity of
China The Peking government Is
urging him to come to Picking and help
to devise ways to restore amity be-
tween North and South
This eiean-cut. eloquent young Yaie
graduate has become one of the new
factors in Chinese affairs He is keen.
masterful and his integrity and pa
triotism are unquestioned. He Is a
thorn In the side of Japan, and yet he
| is moderate and diplomatic. not by any
estimate a firebrand
DR.. Wang reasons In this manner:
Japan is a military autocracy, ab-
solutely governed by small clique OF
militarists. There can be no successful
denial of that. Her ambitions are i'm
perialistic and those ambitions control
her international policy.
China is definitely committed to
democratic government. The spirit of
her people is pacihcist. militaristic
We want to maintain a united China
and develop efficient self-government
We menace no people anywhere.
Surely there can be no question g
to which nation should have the sym
pathy and support of the United States
in diplomacy.
America was the first nation to rec
ognize the republic of China, in 1913
Before that. since 1900. she had been
UNFOLDING the doctrine formulated by
| John Hay. the open door policy &
| which all the western powers assented
During the world war a chain OF cir
cumstances has practically closed that
door.
THE action of the American senate
| in taking exception to the decision OF
| the Versailles conference as to the dis
! position of the German rights in Shan
| tung may be compared to foot thrust
/ between a closing door and the door
) frame. My hope is that America will
neither withdraw that foot nor permit
| it to be crushed.
China wants tree intercourse with
all nations, and the temper OF her peo-
pie is now thoroughly aroused against
being throttled in by some one power.
| asked DIR. Wang what he thought
should be China's reply to Japan's pro.
| posal for direct negotiations over Shan.
| tung He replied: u do not think II
wise for iitigants to withdraw a case
without the consent and knowledge Of
| the court
China has not agreed TO the Shan
| tung decision of the peace conference
| Therefore. we contend. our case goes
! automatically to the league of nations
A judgment has been handed dowr
against us and our case is on appeal t.
the higher court.
| 1T may be wise for China to appoint
| a commi ssion to hear what Japan de.
mands as TO Shantung. but every stey
| of the proceedings must be known Il
the western powers. There must be M
secret negotiations between Jaoan ane
the militarists of the Picking clique. II
Japan has fair and just proposals u
make they can STAND the light Of dav