New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-08

YORK TRIBUNE, S
these newspapers, scattered through
out all the leading cities in China, the
most astonishing misstatements as to
the consortium were constantly re-
peated Guild and parliamentary me-
MORALS, manufactured on the basis Of
these falsehoods, were addressed to me
and reprinted in the public press.
when I arrived in China it was my
business to keep my mind open and
my mouth shut But in view of the
grave Misunderstanding that were
being created in regard to the consor-
tium it became necessary for me to
make considerable number of public
addresses and communications to the
leading newspapers; also TO receive a
very large number of Chinese, both in
their private capacity and as repre-
senting certain influential groups in
China.
To this general end, first in
Shanghai, | explained in great detail
the principles, the purposes and the
workings of the consortium at n large
tiffin given by the American bankers;
at dinner in the same place given by
the American and Chinese Chambers
of Commerce, at which several hun
dred persons were present, half of
them being Chinese; at another tiffin
given by the Chinese Bankers Asso-
citation of Shanghai and vicinity; at
similar lunches and dinners at Peking
and at large meetings of the repre-
sentatives of the Chinese press held
at both Shanghai and Picking. OF
course, discussed the same matter
privately with any number of journal
lists, educators, men of affairs and
officials of the government, both past
and present.
Convincing the Students Union
Shortly after my arrival in Shanghai
l heard that the Students Union, in
censed by the report that I had come
to China to negotiate a large loan to
the present government of China
which the students violently oppose,
and by the knowledge that l was try
ing to arrange with the Japanese,
whom the students were boycotting, to
join the consortium, had decided to
make demonstration against me and
to stone the windows of my hotel.
| sent word to the students that be-
fore carrying out their plan l thought
it would be a good idea for us to talk
among them and they chose about thirty
delegates, onc-third of them women, to
call on me. We had tea, and then spent
two hours discussing the ConsortMm.
never met a keener, more eager, in
telligcnt group Of young men and
women. They were strongly opposed to
their own administration, very critical
of the Japanese, whom they accused of
seeking to debauch and destroy their
government, and generally fearful of
foreign domination. We argued back
and forth the question of the Con-
sortlum, and when we finished they
seemed ITO have become convinced it
would be better to have the Japanese
join with the bankers of the other lead
ing nations in a joint effort to help
China.
We succeeded, too, in making it clear
that the Consortum had no plans for
coming to China and exploiting it. or
OIL folstlng any great scheme of deve-
opment upon the country; that we did
not intend to come to China at all OK
cept at the earnest desire and with the
cordial cooperation of the Chinese peo-
pie; that unless they we're convinced of
the utility of the proposed Consortium.
certainly it would not attempt to func,
ton
was told later that this conference
with the Students Union in Shanghai
mad aroused considerable dsmay rl the
government of Picking, and that when it
received the report of the conference it
released from prison a considerable num-
Der OF students confined there
Contrasts in Government
This last episode, if true, will give
some idea of the feebleness of the Cen
! tJ0V Mt of Dali,
China as a whole, it is such y law
abiding, peace loving and Industrious
community that locally it does not
seem to require much in the way of
administration.
The towns and cities by themselves
appear to move along with local and
iiamily government that manages to
keep the peace and to make both ends
meet. vi course, from the Western
POINT OF view, there is an infinite lack
OF modern phases of municipal GOV
ernment-that is to say. of anv local
Improvements, sanitation, public edu
cation, etc. Aside from these things,
important from our point of view but
not Important to Chinese civilization
winch Tor several thousand years has
managed to work along without them,
there is very decent local government.
When, however, it comes to the
Sehlfai government, the situation has
many serious aspects. The adminis-
tration, as it appeared to be in Pekinr.
was weak in purpose and personnel
and limited in its authority. This lack
OF Capable and patriotic men in the
central Government is what givss to
Western eyes their exaggerated idea
OF Reorganization in China.
An Appetite for Japanese Money
Yet we may not hold the Chinese as
solely responsible for their own ills.
Many Japanese Liberals declared to me
that the policy of Japan had served to
weaken rather than strengthen China.
The way that an eX-Premier of China.
a Liberal, by the way, who some years
ago was supplantcd in Office by one of
the Mllitarists, put it to me was this:
Since the outbreak of the great war.
especially in the year 1917. China has
borrowed no less than S25O,O0O,O 900 sill
yer from Japan. What has been done
with this vast sum of money? Abso-
lucely nothing! And where has the
money gone to? Mostly into the pock-
cts of some Militarists and of those
individuals who are now shouting
against the consortium