New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-04
China Demands
Equal Voice in
World Affairs
Takes New Stand in Declar-
ing 1t Will Not Be a Party
to the Anglo Japanese
Alliance Unless Consulted
Sovereignty Is Upheld
Notice Given Pekin's Con-
sent Must Be Obtained to
Treaty Affecting Status
BY Nathaniel PETER

special Correspondence OF Tho Tribune
PEKIN, June 7. Whatever Japan
and Great Britain may do about re-
newing the Anglo-Japanese alliance in
July, China has acted. It has notified
Great Britain that it will not recognize
any provision of that alliance referring
to it's status unless it is consulted in
advance with respect to such provi-
sion. 1t has said, in effect, that it
will no longer recognize as binding on
itself any alliance determining or af-
fecting its future or it's relation to
other nations unless it is a party to
such an alliance, at least to tho ex-
tent of giving its approval.
The significance Of that declaration
should not be underestimate. 1t
marks China's emergence into a new
stage in it's international relations. It
is great step toward China's coming
of age in world politics. 1t is the enun-
citation of China's demand for diplo-
matte equality in the family Of nations.
The Anglo-Japanese alliance, SO far
as it effects China, pledges each power
to protect the others possessions in
China. 1t guarantees the independence
and integrity of China. 1t also guar
antees the preservation Of the open
door in Chna-that ironic myth. All
admirable objects, it is true, purposes
for which China should be grateful.
But China has had experience.
China a Cynic, internationally
Almost every treaty that has ever
been made by any two powers with
reference to China has had that guar
anty. No power has ever made q
statement concerning China without
that assurance. Generally it has been a
prelude to acts ineXorably calculated
to deprive China of its independence.
When Germany in 1898 sent warships
to Tslngtao and a note to Pekin de-
handing that city and the surrounding
territory for Germany it prefaced it's
demand by an explanation of its act
as token Of its friendship for China
and its desire to help China maintain
its sovereignty. And every nation that
followed Germany in alterations Of
territory and marking out of spheres
of influence explained that it was do
ing so to prove that it was just as
friendly as Germany No power has
ever laid knife to China's throat and
proceeded to open an artery without
pious asseverations of a desire thereby
to improve China's health.
Your intelligent Chinese, is, then,
internationally cynic. He has right
to be. For seventy-fve years he has
seen his country dcspoiled and carried
further and further toward dismcm-
berment, always with the most vir-
tuous of motives. 1t is not more than
a year since he has seen his country's
allies in war as a reward for it's par
ticipation in that war hand over one of
its provinces to another ally-I refer,
of course, to Shantung. And as he
looks about the world now he does not
see much of the bcnignant light Of al
truism anywhere. He is wary, then.
China Firm for Rights
There is no intention here to say
that the Anglo-Japanese alliance, if
concluded anew, will have any sinister
purposes. But there is no reason why
the Chinese should assume anything.
SO far as Japan and Great Britain
wish to make any alliance governing
their relations to one another, that is
no concern of China's. But when they
define their respective positions in
China, China's claim is that that auto
matlcally determines it's status and
restricts its freedom of action They
guarantee the open door, say; China
has a right to know just what that
means and how it affects China. They
agree on special privileges of Japan