Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-26
CLAIMS CHINA
NEEDS VOICEIN
WORLD AFFAIRS
Country Should Have It's Own
Publicity Sources, Noted
u. S. Educator Says.
WORKS UNDER JAP @GAG'

NEW YORK, Jan. 26.--America and
Europe today see China largely through
blue glass furnished by Japan, and
China needs publicity of her own, said
Dr.. Robert NJ. McE1roy, professor Of his
tory in Princeton university and recently
first American exchange professor to
China. in an address before the China
Society OF America here.
China is not today a free govern
ment," said DR.. McBlroy, because the
people Of China are not vocal. Even ii
they were educated, it would profit them
little until the machinery of free ex-
preston could be set up. But China as
a nation Ia not vocal among the nations
because news Of her comes in most cases
through Japan. China needs cables and
! organized publicity OF her own. The
China Society Of America can help to
secure these for her.
"We do not wish foreign propaganda
In America That is why 1wish Chinese
news to come to us direct from China.
II this society could secure real infor-
nation about things Chinese and through
an organized speakers bureau and or
ganized press releases give this news to
the public. another Shantung robbery
would be soon rendered too hazardous
to be attempted. The world would
know that Japan's plan to control Shan
tung means just what Berlin's plan to
control the Bagdad railway meant The
world would thea resent the idea Of
Furnishing Germany, but rewarding
japan"
DEMOCRACY SEEN
AS UNIVERSAL.
DR.. McElroy proposed as the first ele-
ment of a program for the society the
organization Of a movement to induce
every Chinese student who comes to
America to pledge himself to return to
China, not as an educated foreigner,
speaking and thinking and feeling as an
educated foreigner, and referring to the
Chinese as they but as a loyal CHI
nese determined to work for the develop
ment OF China as China"
Let US plan to make him see that
liberty is the true and predestined basis
Of all nations" said DR.. McElroy; that
when he returns to China preaching pop
ular government and ideals of universal
citizenship and education, he is not
| preaching American ideals. but ideals
which are as native to Asia as TO Europe
and America
1.-THE Chinese are a proud people, but
Ike all who have lived under despotic
government, they are a deluded people.
They have been led to think of these ele-
ments Of government, free speech, free
/ press, free assembly and their necessary
basis, universal education, as foreign
elements, for they have not themselves
been allowed to enjoy them. Let them
once understand that IN adopting free
government they are not copying Europe
or importing western ideals, and the
course of liberalism will be made easier
and swifter.
CHINA HAS
OWN BACKGROUND.
1T should not be difficult for the re-
turned student to show that to set In mo-
ton machine for universal education Is
not to cpy the west. II they go fur
Their and make Greek and Latin the basis
Of that education, they would be copying
the west China's natural classic back
ground is not Plato and Aristotle, but
COnfucius and Mencius. To abandon
! these for Plato and Aristotle is to copy
the west, except insofar as Plato and
Aristotle deal with the elements which
belong, to all races.
But progress depends not alone upon
new ideas, but upon the elimination Of
old ideas. I think l see a danger to
China's progress In the failure OF the re-
turned student to abandon certain harm
/ full traditions which belong to China s
past, but are not Of It's essence. For a
thousand years, for example, the chief
aim Of education In China was to win Of
fetal position. This society can do much
to convince the Chinese student that what
China needs is not more officials, but
more citizens who are prepared to do
the things needful and TO do them, not
as officials, but as citizens. Let this
society work to free China Of the wor-
slip of officialdOm. Let US plan to make
our Chinese students abandon the old
dream of office and pledge themselves to
devote their talents to the service of
China, as doctor or lawyer, merchant or
builder, engineer or preacher, without
Completing those vital duties by the
ways of 'expectant officials Equipped
with motion picture machines, the men
OF young China can easily replace the
story teller who in every village holds
his audiences with reactionary tradi-
tons. They can give China back to
herself by setting her again on the trails
which they lost when mistaken leaders
closed her ports and shut out the prog
ress which human contact alone can
bring"
N1n0 'D~or.s~ Dill